Let the Music Play

According to Joe Pignato, assistant professor at SUNY Oneonta, the music industry is not dead. However, the record industry is. In a time where everything is digital and no one buys CD's anymore, it is hard for a new artist to come out with a single and actually make a profit off of it. With the birth of Napster and other peer to peer torrents, more and more people are simply downloading music from other peoples shared files. However, many people report that they often purchase a band's CD after hearing their downloads. Ultimately, I believe that music downloads could help the record industry. If artists find a way to put their music out for free on sites such as Rhapsody and Pandora, more people will be exposed to their art, making an impact on the artists career. Selling recordings, playing live concerts, and selling merchandise such as T-shirts will always be a lucrative business for artists. Overall, artists will always find ways to make money and will keep the industry alive despite its current downfall.