Illegal music downloading is stealing

‘’Illegally downloading music is stealing’’

A common source of controversy nowadays is illegal music downloads and music file sharing. Some people say that there is nothing wrong with it, but that is not the case. By pirating music, you are hurting yourself, the men and women who make distribution of music possible and the artists who work so hard to please you. You should understand the consequences of pirating before you find yourself with a guilty conscience. Illegal music downloading is called pirating for a reason. By not paying for the music you listen to, you are stealing. Some people argue that because music isn’t tangible, it’s not really stealing, but that’s where they are wrong. Though not tangible, music is stolen if you don’t pay for it. Stealing, as we all know, is against the law. If you get caught downloading music without purchasing it, you could face significant fines for every illegally procured item in your possession. In one case, a man was sentenced to up to four years in prison for infractions of a similar nature. So is the money you save really worth the possible consequences?

Do you want to go to jail because you were too parsimonious to go out and buy the CD? By illegally downloading, you are swindling money from music stores and their employees. The CD itself may cost less than a dollar to produce, but there is more to the $12-$20 you pay for it than just the cost of the CD and profit for the record company. Many people are behind the scenes and make CDs possible. It is not just the artists who lose out from illegal downloading. There is the workforce who gets the CD into your hands, and they have to make money somehow. These are the factory workers who make the CD, the truck drivers and pilots who move the CDs and the store clerks who stock and sell the CDs. By refusing to pay for the music you enjoy, you are cheating these hard working people out of their jobs. If the music stores do not make enough money through CD sales, they will have to lay off workers who desperately need their jobs. Without their jobs, these people can no longer support or provide for their families. If you think our economy is bad now, envision a future where everyone who worked in the music retail industry is out of work and searching desperately for a job.

By buying CDs, you can help keep this scenario from becoming a reality. By buying CDs from your favorite band, you are supporting them and making it possible for them to continue producing the music you love. If you really like their music, you should see paying $12 for it as totally worthwhile. Some people see no problem with downloading a few songs they like if they don’t like the whole CD. Contrary to their belief though, liking only some of the songs on the CD is no excuse for breaking the law. If you only want one song, programs such as iTunes can help you out. There you can purchase single songs for just $0.99 or whole albums for a reasonable price. That’s worth having a clear conscience later on. Upcoming artists deserve the money from songs they have toiled over for hours on end. Don’t cheat them out of their hard earned cash. If you are a real fan, you won’t steal from the artists you listen to and idolize. No matter what people say or how they try to justify it, downloading music without paying for it is illegal. Stealing music is unmistakably wrong. Back in kindergarten you learned not to take something that isn’t yours, the same concept still applies today. So the next time you think about pirating music, think about who you are hurting and don’t do it.