Buy European

Qobuz have a download store. I've been using them for years and they've always been excellent.

Qobus is french, and allows you to buy files outright.

Bandcamp is owned by ~~Epic~~ Songtradr (US), but if you buy on so-called "Bandcamp Fridays" they forego their cut, and the full amount goes directly to the artist.

Some artists on Bandcamp also allow you to set the price to 0 (bandcamp is "pay-what-you want") allowing you to download the files for free. You could then compensate the artist in whatever more direct way you find suitable.

Bandcamp if it’s something that’s on there vs (typically independent artists/labels), or if not, Qobuz (a French company, who sell DRM-free music in formats including lossless FLAC, and have major-label releases that aren’t on Bandcamp).

The best way is to buy CDs and rip them. Super easy to rip and you have absolute say over quality. The artist gets the most money (over alternatives). Since you don't want to collect, just donate the disc to a library.

Maybe you have the same problem I do, your computer doesn't have a disc drive. CD/DVD burners are $30 and plug into a USB port. They're also powered by the port. Super easy. Plug it in when you need it, put it in a drawer when you don't.

It's the best way to make sure the artist gets paid, you have the best quality or at least say over the quality (you could use FLAC for lossless or you could use high-bitrate low-complexity M4A/AAC like I do (I'm middle aged and can't hear the difference). And no DRM.

That's what I've done over the years. Rip CDs and collect the digital copies. My mother was notorious for buying a CD and destroying it (dropping it and somehow kicking it through stuff that would scuff it up) within a week. And then buying a new one! So I started requiring her to let me open the disc. I unwrap it, then stick it in the computer and rip it. When she breaks/damages the disc, I just burn another one. She's still buying music, but not the same stuff over and over. Then I started ripping my brother's CDs. And those of some friends. Now I have them all on my Plex server.

Could Qobuz work? I've never used it, but it's French, has a reasonably extensive catalog, and lets you purchase and download DRM-free tracks.

I'd wait for people more familiar with this area before pulling the trigger because I'm sure there are nuances, but it seems like a good option at first blush.

Something that I think can be reasonable too if you 1) don't find a service you like, 2) don't buy a ton of music, and 3) listen primarily to indie artists who have fan donations set up (albeit this is more work on your part due to decentralization) is to pirate the music, figure out how much you'd have paid on the music platform, and then directly donate to the artist, giving them (basically) all the money.

I buy music on Bandcamp but I didn't know they where American :/ Whatever I couldn't find on Bandcamp I bought on 7digital (UK). I found it to be cheaper than Qobuz but I don't know about which one is more artist-friendly

Edit: Apparently Qobuz is superior when it comes to audio quality but I'm just an average listener

For people recommending qobuz, please specify that it's only available in select (rich) countries and it's impossible to use them if you don't have a card in said countries.

The best platform for this is unfortunately American, Bandcamp. 82% of all the money you spend goes to that artist (that's what they claim) and if you wait until a Bandcamp Friday, they waive their 15/10% fee entirely.

Depending on the music you want to buy. You can buy some game soundtracks from GOG. Not the best value, but it is drm free.