http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060501/music_fans_060501/20060501?hub=TopStoriesClick on the link and read the article I'm talking about first.  In today's society where downloading music has become the standard way to get your fix.  Really, when you think about it, why the hell would one buy a CD?  If you compare a CD from when they originally made to one from today, you'll notice that today's CD's are about 1/3 the thickness of the old ones.  That's probably why they're scratched within 48 hours of purchasing.   Did the record industry lower the prices when they cheaped out on the construction?  Hell no!  They simply kept gouging us so that the industry executives could keep their Ferraris.  In light of that, everyone started downloading.  Now, you hear all this hype of the music "industry" speaking out against the evils of downloading, but I've always been suspicious that its simply the higher-ups in the companies who worry that their pre-packaged pop artists are going to make zero dollars.  Everyone is trying to come up with a solution.  Buying music online through itunes is cool, but with ipods that carry 15,000 songs can someone really afford to fill it for $15,000?  No.  We are left with a rift, where the record companies charge too much for music, and if we steal it the poor artists don't get any money.   Where's the solution?  Personally, and a quote from this article backs up what I'm saying, I feel there is a solution.  Page supports current legislation that doesn't allow the government to sue high-volume music sharers."We would rather see our fans in concert than in court," he said."We cannot afford to have an adversarial relationship with our fans. New technology affords fans new ways to listen to music. We as artists . . . must adapt to that,'' he said. Broken Social Scene member Jason Collett credited his band's international success to the Internet."The time and place of a band like Broken Social Scene historically could not have happened without being facilitated by this radical new technology,'' he said.See this is an artist that gets it.  If people are going to download free music, just let them and get them to come to concerts.   The new revolution in music will force artists to get on tour, and cash in that way.    I think the record companies are only scared because their cash-cow artists suck in concert.  For now in Canada we can't be sued for sharing music.   I hope that our government doesn't balk under international pressure, and someone actually listens to the god damn artists, instead of just trying to make money off them like the industry always does.  So if you steal music, make up for it by going to concerts as much as you can.   Hell, walk up to your favorite artist, hand them $40 at the concert and say "sorry I stole your shit".There's more ways to contribute to artists than simply buying CD's.