"95% of music downloaded online is illegal"

download cult.

Big brother can see you...

"so why pay when you can get it for free?"

hit the nail on the head.

95% does seem like a lot but I can't say I'm all that suprised - it's a social mindset nowadays; people don't see it as stealing so why pay when you can get it for free?

I'm not surprised. Why pay for it when it is so easy to get.

Artists need to accept this fact and up their game. Release an album like Tool's 10,000 days with stereoscopic 3D pictures. You can't download that.

If they know the names of the illegal music download websites (Limewire), why don't they shut the websites down? I bet other illegal music download websites would pop up after those go offline, but still, maybe because nobody tried to shut the websites down is the reason why 95% of music downloaded online is illegal.

I'm obviously DISGUSTINGLY Honest...I've got about 14 gigs of music on My 'pooter & I-Pod...& have NEVER downloaded 1 single song off-line!!! It's all been directly off of CDs or Tapes (I own analog to digital transfer equip.)

Radio?

will iTunes' new price tags for songs ($.69, $.99, $1.29) make any difference? don't think so!

thats a crazy statistic. people buy music online through itunes all the time, i dont believe that 95% is illegal. i must say, im almost looking forward to the major record industry collapse. after it does, the only people who will still make music are the people who love to, not these clowns that top the radio charts and are only worried about making a buck.

This article reminds me of the Chappelle show clip"If the internet was a real mall" where it showed the $1 download store was empty and the free download store was just getting beat down! You ever watched a concert online. Its like you were really there....not! Concert sales are going to be where they can make the money! Gotta go..one of my Limewire downloads just completed.

of course lil wayne was one of the top illegal tracks, his shit isn't worth paying money for.
he makes plenty of money off of hustlin apparently, according to him.

Of course! What so you expect when itunes library is pitiful? I was looking for songs the other day and could not find but one BucketHead album (look him up)

I don't think this is accurate but maybe most people who buy music legally buy the CD's over downloading the songs and albums.

This is wrong, but it's not terrible. It'll always be around, so the only thing to do is live with it or quit listening to music.

DAM THIS IS SORT OF SAD KUZ THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WILL FALL N THERE WONT BE GOOD QUALITY MUSIC NO MORE

I WOULD LOVE 2 BUY RAP N HIP HOP CD'S BUT THIS NEW RAP N HIP HOP SUCKS IF THE ARTISTS MADE REAL MUSIC LIKE DA 90'S I WOULD BUY CD'S

yea, and?

I honestly do not care at all that they are missing out on sales due to illegal download given the garbage that is produced these days in the guise of music.

uh oh, Retard Alert! we have a retard in the class! (Matt Brawn)

No shit. Why pay $20 for a CD that we know damn well is overpriced and can get for free with a few strikes of the keys. Artists have pretty much always made more money from merch and touring that album sales ANYWAY, so are they really hurting? I doubt it. The record companies are the ones complaining because they have their hands in their artist's pockets.

The record label industry as a whole is suffering because like islek said, they are the "middle man" and they are less and less necessarily as it becomes easier for artists to share and market themselves on the internet.

We have so many other things that should take precedence over the downloading of music illegally.

So i guess all the lawsuits that they have now...are pointless i guess. lolz...

THANKS I TUNES & LIMEWIRE*

It should be fair to say that artists (and their representatives) worth listening to are in the music making industry; not the money making industry.

I think many industries, not just the music industry, are going to start cutting out the "middle man"... especially with economics in a less than booming state. I think more artists will go directly to the people with their product, and it's a trend I expect to continue in other realms as well. I believe companies are going to try to find ways to turn this to a profitable advantage rather than try to fine or arrest everyone who downloads music without paying for it.

its 2009 no shit this is happening. Thanks Napster

Two years ago, I was contracted to do some legal and statistical analysis of reports the RIAA and others were submitting to Congress. As part of my work, I authored a report that was sent to a congressional subcommittee siting a host of improper studies, incredibly misstated statistics, and obviously incorrect holdings (findings) in various reports produced by the RIAA and others.

So, I'm skeptical of this report/finding.

We have to blame the lack of Technology and freedom the industry has with the consumers. Just a couple of months ago, they are letting go. It is the media and the market that needs to evolve, not the customers, as we evolved since the German kid invented the mp3 and people have been using this since before 1998. Make all records and media available at easily purchasable places and at a correct price and then Piracy will drop.

This also goes for Movies, Rentals and TV Shows. Do it, or lose it.

Record labels are dinosaurs grasping at the last few straws before they sink forever. Media deals such as Madonna's with Live Nation or AC DC with Walmart are the wave of the future. ITunes and whatever comes after that will fill the gap. Artists can take their music directly to the people and even get paid online.

It seems to me that some people are demanding too much money. They are being greedy, and we're pulling a robin hood on them.

Do the label big wigs need to have so much more money than most of us? Do the artists need to? What if we leveled things out a bit.

Maybe people would pay for it if the price, and the overall situation, were fair.

the music industry needs to realize that can make more money outside of album sales. if people listen and like you they might buy a concert ticket. if they're not willing to invest 10 bucks to know if they like an artist, they'll never go to the concert. make albums cheaper to capitalize on the other areas for revenue.

I don't know, 95% seems like an awfully low figure..

Most probably, if no one downloads music illegally, the number of people downloading music legally will stay almost the same with only a slight increase.

Well, I believe it. But here's the thing that I don't have a problem with. I find loads of new artists online, download some of their songs, fall in love, and buy tickets to their gigs. THAT'S how bands make the real money anyways.

I dont buy it, people aren't that smart in general. (Sarcasm) If that were true, we'd have far more virus infected computers and a thriving tech industry.

HE GOT THE MIX TAPE GAME NO NEED TO TAKE MUSIC WITH OU PAYING FOR IT!!!!!!!!

"the figure estimated by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has literally just blown my socks off."
wow! literally? powerful reading material that will forcibly remove clothing.

How long 'til "they" can reach inside my hard-drive and scoop-out all my tunes?? Net Neutrality is the issue we audiophiles should be paying attention to. They can already sieze your "storage device"(Ipod, Iphone, laptop, etc.) when you travel internationally. I wonder how far they will take this...??

How long 'til "they" can reach inside my hard-drive and scoop-out all my tunes?? Net Neutrality is the issue we audiophiles should be paying attention to. They can already sieze your "storage device"(Ipod, Iphone, laptop, etc.) when you travel internationally. I wonder how far they will take this...??