Originally Posted by: grizzlymintIn my case, I'd say the record industry is doing better BECAUSE I can download. I would've never heard pretty much anything that I listen to today without illegal downloading. If I like a band, I support them by buying at least one album. Many times one turns into multiple.

I honestly can say I owe a lot to being able to download music. I believe hearing the music I have today has changed my life, and I never would've spent money on the music if I couldn't have had a feel for it in the first place. I will now. But only because I've grown musically and have heard many names via the internet.

All that being said, do I think its right? No. But I do it anyways.

Thats kind of where I stand. I download music to hear what is out there. Even if its 1 song by 1 band that I never heard of. This is how I discovered a lot of the music that I listen to now. I download some songs to see if I like the sound. The download albums to hear if I like the band. Then I buy albums if I like the band. I don't feel it is right to force people to pay almost $20 for an album if they have no idea what they are getting. I have downloaded COUNTLESS bands that I don't like, but I heard they were good, so I wanted to check them out. Before downloading came around, I would have had to go buy every single album and I would have wasted literally hundreds of dollars.

I have well over $1,000 worth of CD's, but that number would be more than double if I couldn't download. More than half those CDs would be in the trash though because I don't like everything I hear. I use downloading to see what albums I want to buy basically. I don't like people that download just so that can get out of paying the money. I'm happy to pay the money, just as long as I KNOW that I will enjoy the CD. The way it is right now, the only way I would know that is to download it first and listen to it.

You wouldn't buy a guitar without playing it first right? Why should I buy music without listening to it and seeing if I even like it?