My response to Isha's blog "Anti-Piracy: Save the Musician or Save the Record Company?"

The following comment was made on a post in Isha's blog.

This is a topic close to my heart and i have actually written a blog on the very issue of peer to peer programs in relation to piracy.

Digital music, peer to peer programs and piracy may seem a great issue in the music industry; however through my research i have found that these factors have actually increased the sale of music both in-store and online. As you have stated, the music industry has been crying poor over decreased CD sales. They may have decreased however they are being replaced by online purchase of digital music. Statistics have shown that in many cases the illegal downloads (through p2p programs) have led to legal purchases of music and music products. As you have stated there are many reasons why consumers choose to purchase and share music online - music is simply a click away.

Abramson (2005, 2) stated in his piece The Computer Ate My Industry that “to this day, the record companies continue to collect royalties from consumers who purchase the album, perform the song, or quote its lyrics."

Next time the music industry cries poor they should think about the greater scheme of things. Where we would be without p2p file sharing?

Abramson, Bruce. 2005. The Computer Ate My Industry in Abramson, Bruce, Digital pheonix, Massachusetts: MIT Press, pp.203-240.