The most popular music media formats
MP3
A file extension and compression method that utilizes the MPEG standard to reduce the size, often by a factor of 12, while still maintaining audio quality comparable to a CD. MP3 files (.mp3) are commonly used to store a song or the whole CD and require very little hard drive space. It’s how Apple squeezed 1000 songs into your pocket with the first iPod. Because of their small file size, a computer can save several hundred or thousands of songs.
The audio quality of an MP3 (and all digital music files) is measured by its bit rate, rendered as kbps. Higher bit rates mean the file has more data, and consequently, the MP3 sounds better. The most common bit rates are 128 kbps, 192 kbps, and 256 kbps.
MP3 may be the most popular digital audio format online, but Apple Music does not offer music in that format (more on that later). Despite that, MP3s are compatible with iTunes and with all iOS devices, like the iPhone and iPad.
AAC
Like MP3, AAC (.aac) is a lossy file format. To compress CD-quality audio into files that take up less storage space, data that will not impact the listening experience — generally at the high and low end — is removed. As a result, AAC files do not sound identical to CD-quality files, but generally sound good enough that most people don't notice the difference.
Like MP3s, the quality of an AAC file is measured based on its bit rate. Common AAC bitrates include 128 kbps, 192 kbps, and 256 kbps. Why do AAC files sound better than MP3s? Well, it’s complicated. To learn more, read this Wikipedia article on AAC.
OGG
OGG (.ogg) is an open-source file format for multimedia. It can contain music, video, text, and metadata, and is optimized for streaming content. OGG is copyright-free, and available for anyone to use in their software or media projects free of charge.
M4A
M4A (.m4a) is an extension for an audio file encoded with advanced audio coding (AAC) which is a lossy compression. M4A was generally intended as the successor to MP3 — which had not been originally designed for audio only — but was layer III in an MPEG 1 or 2 video files, commonly encountered on DVDs. M4A stands for “MPEG 4 Audio.
WMA
WMA (.wma) usually stands for Windows Media Audio. This is the file type promoted by Microsoft, the company that invented it. It is the native format used in Windows Media Player, both on Macs and PCs. It competes with the MP3 and AAC formats and offers similar compression and file sizes as those formats. It is not compatible with the iPhone and iPad. QuickTime on the Mac doesn’t play it either. It has to be made QuickTime-friendly by a converter app.
FLAC
FLAC (.flac) is popular with audiophiles. FLAC is an acronym for “Free Lossless Audio Codec” and is an open-source audio format that can reduce the size of a file by 50% to 60% without reducing audio quality too much. FLAC is not compatible with iTunes or iOS devices alone, but it can work with additional software installed on your device.
WAV
WAV (.wav) is short for “Waveform Audio Format.” This is a high-quality audio file generally used when high-quality sound is required, such on as CDs. WAV files are uncompressed, and therefore take up more disk space than MP3s or AACs. Because WAV files are uncompressed (also known as being a "lossless" format), they contain more data and produce better, more subtle, and more detailed sounds. A WAV file generally needs 10 MB for every 1 minute of audio. By comparison, an MP3 needs about 1 MB for every 1 minute. WAV files are compatible with Apple devices, but are not commonly used except by audiophiles, mainly because of the storage space required.
Darya Smith 
