What is your view on downloading music for free?

I myself do occasionally download a track or album if I want to check out some bands...

If anything, this helps me get more interested in certain bands and make me more likely to buy one of their CDs or merchandise. So in a way, it does them a favour. I recognise that it's illegal, but there are just too many ways of doing it through other methods that it really nullifies the 'theft' view. For example: How is downloading an entire CD off the internet any less conveniant to the arists and labels if you were to borrow that exact same CD off a friend and upload the tracks onto your libary?

Using programmes such as Limewire has also helped me find tracks that are not available to buy anywhere. However, you can't always be sure what you're downloading. That's why it's always best to buy CDs from the shops if you have the money.

I usually buy CDs after hearing tracks that have been downloaded if I like them. One of the main reasons being that if they made the music and it's good, they deserve the money.

i normally just get CD's and i only really use downloading to get tracks i cant get anywhere else.

and it doesnt reaslly do much harm, all it means is the huge music companies wont get that little bit richer, and it benifits the bands who make the music, because most good bands just want people to hear their music. a few bands i know have encouraged their fans to download their music illegally instead of buying their cds, lol.

but personally i would buy a cd when i have the money to do it, becuase i like something physical to represent the music =D

i would by a cd but i would have to spend so much money on them... so i download them and put them on an mp3 player.

Exact same. Otherwise I buy my music to support my artists. Having MP3's is cool but owning the actual CD is more special =P occasionally I'll have to get something from iTunes if they're ALL SOLD OUT here which has happend alot, but that still counts I guess.

I get CD's, but I download songs I can't get from CD's I can't find

That's one of my big reasons for buying CDs (and once in a very infrequent blue moon, vinyl LPs), the physical medium to which it is bound. Back in the '70s, for instance, the whole album was a package, a unified work of art, music and cover art and all. It may be nostalgic, but I love that facet of the whole deal. Plus, there's no 11:1 @ 128 kbps compression rate on vinyl!

Otherwise, I'm fine with downloading. The real money is in touring and gigging and playing shows, anyway. I'll pay to see a King Hippo gig. I'll buy their new CD. Or if I want a Yellowjackets CD, I'll grab it off of Amazon.com for $2 plus $2 more for S&H.

I am for it for one reason, the majority of the money you pay for a CD, or a song on a service like iTunes goes to a company like Sony Music, the RIAA, etc. and the actual band themselves only gets a very small part of the cut. This fact has even made some bands FOR this kind of downloading.

Yes, it is illegal but its wrong too what these companies do to these bands, and ESPECIALLY what companies like the RIAA are doing to people... Plus, what stops you from recording the song from FM radio (or XM/Sirius radio) and how is it any different?

However, you do gain quality from the CD/Vinyl/Lossless AAC (digital download) over the MP3s most people put on download services.

I'm all for it. Like Kilo said, a large portion goes to the music companies, and not the bands. I don't care if it is illegal, as it's unlikely that I'll ever get arrested for it. I have my own moral standards, and as long as I won't get in trouble with the law, I'll follow them.

I download every thing I hear, not because I don’t wanna pay, just because I can’t buy CDs. Where I live there are but a few music stores, and those stores got only local albums… maybe some exceptions (with popular bands… like MCR).

Download, download, download.

I'm sure the bands don't care.

I'm not voting 'cause there isn't an "Its illegal" option.

but to be honest, I don't care if its obviously illegal, but its sure better, i just need to figure out how to put all those songs on my Zune from LimeWire.

Tell that to Metallica =/

Wow... What is wrong with dowloading music from Limewire? It sounds the same, illegal or not. Thats why, I dont waste my money on some CD's, unless there really good like Tha Carter 3. :]

I picked the 4th one ^^ I only ask for someone to download it for me to make a music video xD Or if they're sending me a song for me to listen to it. I normally keep music off my PC because most of my friends get it from Limewire, I don't want any viruses D: And music takes up too much space

Well, bad news for people in the UK (including myself) who download music illegally. The government has called upon the music industry to take action and work with the 6 leading ISPs in this country to stop people downloading music.

READ HERE.

If you are with one of those ISPs and you download a lot of music, you might be getting a letter of warning. I'm not sure what it will threaten you with, becuase this is a part of the article that still shows we could be safe:

"But the music industry wants people's internet access cut off if they ignore repeated warnings, something the web firms say they are not prepared to do. "

I think it's just greed coming from both outr government and the record labels. They're both losing out on money becuase of downloading music. Otherwise, they wouldn't care, just like the artists themsleves who the record labels and government are so eager to point out that it's them who we are stealing from.

There are so many reasons why I hate this government.

I see it this way: why pay somthing you can get for free?
Because here, singles can cost up to 20$ (inflation ftl -.-), the last cd I purchased was.. schnappi 4 years ago =\

I'm all for it too. All the music comes out good when I download it, because I always preview it before I DL on LimeWire =) or recently FrostWire.

Another thing is I don't have the money or resources to buy any music =/ I would buy some CDs if I COULD, but that's nearly impossible where I am, and getting it at a fair price. Like other people said, the big companies get most of the money anyway, so, why bother? =] It's way easier and I get sync it right to my iPod when It's done. ^-^

I, myself do download music. Is it wrong? Of course it is. But then again so are better things in life. Would you honestly pass up an opportunity to get something free than buy a cd for god knows how much? Sure there's the whole thing about being a "True fan" but I feel that can be compensated in other ways. Another factor to look at is the illegal issues. But come on, are the police seriously gonna lock up over a million people? Ultimately, yes it's illegal but hey there is no harm in it ^^.

I used to download some music before when I didn't actually know the legality things, but I don't really do it anymore. At times I have downloaded music from games, but I try to make sure I own the games where they are from.

And well, most of the music I'd like to hear is too hard to find in this country, because my music taste is somewhat narrow-minded.

I rarely buy CDs because I don't have a job yet, so my massive music collection is 90% virtual except for the things my dad burned from his music collection for me.

Some of the bands I listen to are harder to find in music stores anyway, especially my European power metal.

Downloading is instant, but I'll admit once I get an mp3 I can KEEP [not my borrowed one, or an iPod, those are too prone to being stolen] I'll transfer them to that as well as some blank CDs and get rid of the 18 gigs of music I currently have on my harddrive off of here.

Whenever I get the chance I buy the CD though. I like being able to enjoy the album art instead of a clear jewel case with a visible blue CD with "Pink Floyd -- Dark Side of the Moon" written on it in handwriting, =\