<div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">In fact, some "illegal" acts, by increasing awareness of particular art,<br>may well actually increase sales.
<br><br>But try telling that to the RIAA.</blockquote><div><br>I have had friends show me a peice of a song which they downloaded "illegally" in the past. As a result of liking what I heard, I eventually bought their entire discography, imports, posters, tee shirts, concert tickets, and told everyone I know to go do the same. None of the above would have happened otherwise.
<br></div>Word of mouth can be very effective in the success of any product. I think the realization of that fact, and how the internet has made it very easy to self promote without a hefty loan and very slim points with which to repay said loan, is what makes the major record companies struggle so hard to hold those precious dollars as they finally shift directions to the deserving artists instead.
<br>Was that a run-on sentence? ;)<br>-J<br></div>