
We all know how prevalent illegal filesharing is on the Internet. The debate whether or not it does damage will never be truly resolved. Some say that they download only to see if they enjoy the music. If they don’t, they delete it immediately… otherwise, they purchase it. Others say that it can act as promotion for the artist, exposing their work to people who may have never heard it otherwise. This is why the debate will never end, because in their own twisted way, they are valid points to some people. But it’s technically still illegal, no matter what.
I know that this issue doesn’t affect me directly, as I freely give away my work. But in the case of my fellow ambient musicians, who can rarely make ends meet with their music, I absolutely believe that filesharing is harmful.
I beg those of you who do download music illegally to please stop. Do it as a sign of respect for the artists you love. The intimate genre that is ambient allows people, in most cases, to purchase directly from the artist. They work hard in their craft, and by purchasing their music from them, you’re letting them know without a doubt that you appreciate that hard work.
I hope my words have made an impact, however small, on this on-going problem.