illegal downloading article

You’re breaking the law!

If so many of us illegally download should it be illegal?

This whole controversy about illegal downloading is becoming a big issue but most of us do it. It’s free, quick and easy which are the three things us as human beings are drawn to. It gives underground artists exposure as people download and share their music, no one is going to pay for music they haven’t heard before that’s why people selling their mix tapes on the street have more people walking past them than people actually stopping to buy them.

Some people may say that mainstream artists miss out on the money they deserve but there are a few artists that actually support the idea of illegal downloading such as Shakira she says "I like what's going on because I feel closer to the fans and the people who appreciate the music. It's the democratisation of music in a way, and music is a gift. That's what it should be, a gift.”

Nelly Furtado is another mainstream artist that supports this idea she says "If you love music you're going to make it anyway. You'll find an audience, and you may not make like millions of dollars but you'll make enough to have a house and a family and a car." This is true a making music should be passion money is just a bonus the artists get for it.

On the other hand some people disagree with illegal downloading, singer Lily Allen states that "If what the consumer wants is good music, then they are going to have to start paying for it. The music industry is run by a bunch of f**king idiots and if you're giving those people less money they are going to invest in bands that aren't very good. The more money there is in the industry, the more they are going to have to invest in quality bands.” And she went on.

This is true as good bans aren’t getting that chance to get signed due to lack of money the music industry has which isn’t really fair as they do have a passion for music and just need chance.

There’s also the point that it is against the law and people that do it run the risk of prosecution and mainstream artists lose money as their albums or singles aren’t selling. American recording artist and entertainer Britney Spears has said that “stealing music online is as bad as stealing a CD from a store.” This is true as you don’t pay for either.

However legal or not, harmless to the music industry or not millions of people do it and they will still remain doing it because it’s free.