[setanta]

I really don't think so. You'll see less and less people becoming artists nevermind being willing to shell out cash for the honour of producing and distribuiting albums that people will never buy anyway. Do you know how expensive it is?

And you keep mentioning artists that have made it big... what about the ones who haven't and the others who condemn the theft of their work off the net?

I agree that the internet is hugely important in the fight against the tyranny of corporate airheads who feed us the usual mainstream rubbish and monopolize airtime but that doesn't make downloading for free right. You can play the crusading Robin Hood role if you like, but it doesn't hold water for me when you're consuming other people's creativity for nothing.