This letter mirrors my own feelings and I'm quite vocal about it, if you think stealing music is okay you may as well wander into an art gallery and help yourself to whatever is hanging on the walls.
I've heard all the arguements for swapping music.."pretty much none of the money goes to the artist anyway, it's the record companies filling their coffers" or "the band releases a CD and there's only one song worth listening to, why should I pay for the entire CD for one song, it's a rip-off" or "this has been going on forever, recordable CD's have simply replaced cassettes. The industry didn't die because people made cassette copies, what's the difference?" or my favourite "everyone is doing it, the music industry will have to come to grips with it and change their ways"
My answer is always the same. Keep it up, file swap to your heart's content and one day very soon you'll wonder why there's no new music to listen to. There won't be any new music cuz the talented musician who should be in a recording studio is flipping burgers to pay the rent.
I've heard all the arguements for swapping music.."pretty much none of the money goes to the artist anyway, it's the record companies filling their coffers" or "the band releases a CD and there's only one song worth listening to, why should I pay for the entire CD for one song, it's a rip-off" or "this has been going on forever, recordable CD's have simply replaced cassettes. The industry didn't die because people made cassette copies, what's the difference?" or my favourite "everyone is doing it, the music industry will have to come to grips with it and change their ways"
My answer is always the same. Keep it up, file swap to your heart's content and one day very soon you'll wonder why there's no new music to listen to. There won't be any new music cuz the talented musician who should be in a recording studio is flipping burgers to pay the rent.