First of all I view this in a slightly different light than most of the respondents of this thread. Having been in the entertainment business for years prior to retirement. I approach any art form and that includes music that is downloaded via computer. My concerns are simple is the artist being compensated for thier work? via the computer downloads. None of us get to see what iTunes or any other music download entity is paying in royalties to the artist and the label.
I do not downlaod music from any source for the simple reason I am not totally convinced that the proper payments are being made to ASCAP or BMI. Without absolute proof of payments I will continue to boycott digital down loads.
In my day I shut down so many pirates and had them prosecuted to full extent of the law and took great pleasure in seeing their equipment totally destroyed. In short these are norhing more or less than thieves that threaten the entire music industry. Music is not free, never has been, it has to be paid for, like anything else.
I continue to buy CD and Vinyl albums through legitimate sources, to do less is a slap in the face of the artist, the label and the employees that work in the music industry. In fact it nothing more or less than outright theft. Most everyone here has been a victim of theft at one time or another in their lives and how did that make you feel? Violated of course, no difference than downloading music from a dubious source to satisfy ones current need to get the product they want for personal satisfaction.
If a viable solution is not reached, we can see the music industry going into oblivion. It is all to easy today to download and most all that do, don't give a rats ass of the people that make what you enjoy are truly being paid their hard earned royalty, that is the law by the waya Federal Law that is enforceable, I know that first hand.
Artist are only going to create when it is financially viable for them to do. Cut off their living and the music goes away, plain and simple.
