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Illegal Downloading of Music

As an artist, one of the issues that concern me is illegal downloading of music from the internet using applications like Emule.

This phenomenon happens only because it is possible. The internet makes many things possible and is a difficult territory for law enforcement.

There are people who claim that they have a right to download music for free, due to the freedom of speech. Can anybody explain to me what the connection is? I honor the freedom of speech, and for that I use my blog, my official website, forums, social media and all the methods the internet can give me to express myself. Illegal downloading of music is not one of these methods.

Let's take stealing cars for example. Why do people steal cars? People steal cars because it's possible. They take the car to some hiding place, disassemble it and sell the parts, leaving no trace of the original car and their actions. Can they claim any right to justify stealing? Certainly not!

There are people who claim that they wouldn't have paid anyway for the music they download. It's getting it for free or not getting it at all. In some cases it's true, I guess, but still – the record sales have dropped drastically since illegal downloading of music has begun. I remember when the "Tower Records" branch in New York has closed down. It was one of the biggest record stores in the world. It wasn't the only one. As an Israeli, I have also seen the "Tower Records" branch in Azrieli Center in Tel Aviv closing down. The list must be a lot longer.

There are people who think that the artists can earn their money from concerts. Yeah, right. How many of them? Most of the artists I know, and I know a few, get off the stage and say: Hooray, I've earned 40 Shekels! (That's about 10 dollars).

There are people who think by mistake that the only people that profit from record selling are capitalists that own the record companies, and by stealing from them is a good act for society. As someone who knows how the industry looks like from the inside, let me tell you the truth: It costs tens of thousands of dollars to produce an album. It includes the musical instrument players, who are artists themselves; it includes the recording studio, which employs recorders, editors and uses expensive instruments and devices. The artist producing the album deserves some payment, too.

Illegal downloading of music and other media types should stay illegal. It is wrong. It is stealing. The only excuse for it is that it's possible, until you get caught (where it's possible to get caught). If you think you still have another excuse, write it in a comment, and I'll open your eyes.

June 21st, 2009.

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