Illegal downloads

A very controversial topic of discussion, I think there are both good and bad sides to this. It's particularly good for independent and unsigned musicians because it provides an easier means of promotion and getting their music out there gaining valuable exposure. But then when a lot of money is being put into commercial music inevitable it's the larger companies that are going to lose out. But is it really any different to how it was decades ago when we used cassette tapes? When I was in school someone would go out and buy an album on a casette tape and then everyone would borrow it and make copies for themselves, so generally speaking this was being done way before filesharing and p2p networks started doing it.

Hi severin,A great topic of discussion,As it's far from straight forward.I wouldn't say that piracy is killing the record label industry although they make less money thesedays,But is that a bad thing?Because if we look back to before the internet was rapidly spreading music,Cd's in the UK were about 15 to 20 pound's for an album,An absolute rip off,But now we are able to get it for free,Albeit illegally,The record labels are crying,Even lowering album prices.So this tell's me that we used to be ripped of by record labels.As you state,There is also a number of people who will illegally download a song or album just to see if they like it,If they do they will then go and pay for it in a shop.Also is the problem as big as it's reported?I hear about vast illegal downloading and how we have to stop it,But i never hear of poor artist's or record label's.I like your point about musicians and the song's they release,In the old day's you would buy an album and maybe like 3 or 4 songs and the rest is just filler,Was that acceptable?I don't feel it was,But nowadays,In a weird sort of way,I do think that the current situation is making the whole indusrty think again,Look at myspace and similair sites,And how many bands put out music for free to get noticed