loading music onto ipod nano

I have a Sony MP3 Player. I recently downloaded all the music onto a imac. I am not sure if the imac has itunes downloaded, but it appears that the music is just sitting in a giant folder on the desktop (i am a pc guy so if my vocab isn't mac perfect i am sorry...still learning ..... anyway, what is the best/easiest way for me to export the music to the new ipod nano. Should I somehow get the music in itunes...or i just hook up the ipod will it find the music...even if it isnt in itunes..... i would really love the music to stay organized as i had it on the Sony MP3 player.

Thanks in advance for any help. - DLD

Install iTunes if it isn't. Then import the music into iTunes and allow it to organize by album/artist or you do it manually..

Once finished with the importing, plug in the iPod Nano and it will show up in iTunes, click on the device, go to the Music tab on top and choose to sync your entire library or whatever fits on the iPod Nano and hit Sync..

The iPod Nano will not find anything automatically, it is specifically sent things from iTunes during the syncing process..

Thanks Raz0r ..... the vast majority of my music is from cd's but 20% are from napster purchased songs and old itunes purchased songs from a now defunc. which was on a computer that i no longer have..... is there any chance that i will come accross songs that are protected...the napster and itunes songs have been downloaded only to one mp3 player... so i was hoping i won't/wouldn't have any issues

I would think there's VERY little chance the Napster songs will survive. They weren't really intended to anyway ...

The old iTunes songs should work fine but you may be asked for your old iTunes authorization. I don't know if they still have this program outside of iTunes Match now that it exists but iTunes USED to let you know when you signed into an account if you had any songs that could be upgraded to the new, higher-quality DRM-free format. If so, you should definitely take advantage of that.