In this world where the music industry is getting more and more developed, the number of music streaming websites is rapidly increasing, which is also giving rise to illicit download of musical data. Some argue that this act is harmless to most artists; however, others reject this notion, claiming that this exerts detrimental effects on the music industry. This essay will delve into both views and provide reasons for my support of the former opinion.
Opponents of unofficial audio downloading argue that this phenomenon not only affects artists’ copyrights and income, but also brings unpleasant experiences to listeners. Nowadays, illegal free downloading is overly normalised that people fail to see its ethical and copyright implications. In other words, unauthorised websites are actually threatening the livelihood of creative artists, since they make illegal copies of copyrighted music without compensating the copyright holders. Consequently, the authors of these audio will potentially make little to no profit and lose the loyalties they deserve when the audiences listen to outlaw sites instead. Besides, most tracks uploaded from unlawful websites are not from legitimate sources; hence, they are not always the best quality. Thus, listening to paid music from authorised sellers will guarantee that listeners can enjoy music with the highest quality.
On the other hand, free music is an efficient way of promoting new music; plus, music enjoyers can choose to support their favourite composers in other ways besides purchasing their music. Many new musicians choose to upload free tracks in order to advertise their new songs. Therefore, downloading free music does not necessarily mean that it is illicit; instead, giving music away for free helps it reach out to more people, making the authors more popular. In addition, artists who cannot prevent their music from being exchanged or uploaded without authorization, might not receive much profit from selling their songs, but they can gain support in other ways. For instance, those who download music for free realise they really enjoy the music, they are more likely to buy CDs, attend concerts, and buy merchandise.
To summarise, with the rise of technology, music piracy is easier than ever, causing adverse effects on the music industry in terms of financial and copyright. However, I believe that free music downloading should not be banned completely, due to the fact that it is a sufficient way of advertising music, providing a better approach to a variety of artists.