Illegal Downloading

I put my songs on sites like Soundclick, Songplanet, and Reverb Nation with the expectation that anyone with a little bit of computer savvy can record anything that streams on the internet.  I'm also cynical (maybe realistic is a better term) when it comes to believing that people have lower moral standards these days.

So my philosophy is that it is just the price you pay for promoting your music on the internet.
But that still doesn't make it right.
I've spent countless thousands of hours writing songs, rehearsing, performing, recording, mixing, and developing a craft.  I've also spent thousands of dollars on the instruments and equipment to support it.  I believe the end result has some VALUE.  If a song gets on a radio chart, or if someone buys a CD or a download, that validates my belief.
Why do you buy a CD?  Because you like the music enough that you want to own it.  You want to be able to listen to it any time you want; not just when it gets played on the radio.  It's the same for music on the internet.  You can listen to it any time you're at the computer.  But if you like it enough that you want to be able to take it with you and hear it any time, then you should be willing to pay a buck and support the artist who poured his heart and soul into it.
Which leads to another question:  what value do you place on your art?  Do you give it away -- make all your songs available for free download?  If so, maybe you are just contributing to the growing mindset that music has no value and should be free.

PWCarr Music