Downloading Music -> Good or Bad ?

I find nothing wrong in downloading music and using various file sharing programs used by some ppl. I myself don't use these downloading programs. There is not a lot of single music tracks that I want out there. I just download some independent music (mp3) that I have never heard before from free websites. I also go my public library and borrow some cds and rip all the tracks that I want from them on to my hard drive. Therefore, I believe it within the person right to download as much music as they see fit as long as it has no profit motive involved.

When I was a boy, I used to copy music right off the radio and on to my cassette. No one arrested me. I think the music industry is just turning fans off for trying to put a 20 year old college student in jail for giving away some music tracks. The jails are full. Then the Metallica debacle by trying to be big brother to the fans. Then the continued high priced of CD's. All of this a completely turned me off to buying music.

In other words, I'am lost in music. I will continue to download free music that I might be interested in and keep it. And the music that I would want to buy on CD must be less than 11 dollars no more (but I still much more dvd than cds by a wide margin).

Somebody paid for the cd whose track was converted into mp3 file and shared with others. So I don't what the deal and fuss about it? The music industry cannot control the music and ppl lives. I used to make cassette tapes of various tracks and gave to my friends. I see nothing wrong in that. No can force you to buy a high priced cd for one or two good tracks ithat you may want. The music industry has to realized is that the landscape is changing. Everything evolves. Nothing remains the same.

So my question is this --- is downloading music evil? Is file sharing wrong? Does it hurt the recording artist? Is it the downfall of the music industry? What about the recording artist need to protect the hard work in making their own music? I'll add additional comments later. Enlighten and indulge me.

i never buy cd's. all the music i download i love and if i need a cd to listen to while driving, i burn my own.
waste of money, the buying. unless you actually want to support the band.

Its only a matter of time before CD goes away as the cassette and 8-track tapes. Btw, CD players are not around anymore (unless you want to use your DVD player).

The only CDs I buy are the ones to support the band at live concerts. I get autograph copy most of the time.

I download most of my Goth music free using blog sites like mp3axx. They are here, there and everywhere.

i don't go to concerts that often to get autographed cd-s. i once bought a cd at a concert but i have all of the songs on my pc anyway so i never really use the cd. besides, i hate having stuff lying around my room, cd-s especially.
i'm a total music download whore

I don't see the problem in downloading music.

I also taped music onto casette player when I was young lol the Top 40 chart countdown on a sunday on Radio 1 at 5pm and saw absolutely nothing wrong with that at all.

I now use LimeWire for downloading, it's a good site, and I think it's much better to hear the music before you splash out on a CD costing £15 of which often I find I only like a couple of the tracks on it.

Magenta wrote:

I also taped music onto cassette player when I was young...

HaHa ! Me too. I used to do it all the time in the late 70's. Mainly Disco music since I could not afford a lot of records.

CD is going to be a dead format since it never got around to be ($9.99 USD) each. But the Mp3 albums in fact did. And that's why Mp3 rules to this day.

We live in the digital age now. Everyone with a computer and some software can create some music. Therefore, you will simply go broke buying all the music that you want. Beside why buy a CD when you only like a few songs anyway.

I have Frostwire but I don't use if much. I prefer to use blog sites like this discontinued site mp3axx for my Goth music.