Netaudio is music that is distributed freely and legally via the internet. Often the term Netaudio is used as somewhat a synonym for files in the mp3 format. The first time the term Netaudio appeared in it's present context was when the German music magazine De:Bug started the netaudio mailing list in June 1999. The first message on the list defined Netaudio in a rather broad way:

"this mailinglist will be to promote audio on the web... preferred mails: links to audio sites or broadcasts of every kind of electronic music. the more direct the links (as in directly to specific .mp3 .ram usw. files) the better. distribute an promote webaudio!"

Today the Netaudio scene is still very much connected to the electronic music community. It consists of losely connected artists releasing their productions for free on their own websites as well as so called netlabel websites.