Back then audio quality degraded on subsequent copies and generally over time, not to mention proliferation was immensely stymied without the internet. Nowadays it's a different ballgame, but the issue is the same. P2P is unlikely to dissapear, and if it is eventually stifled out in some manner, a new method of electronic copyright infringement will appear. If the regulators and record companies weren't so stuck in their archaic, preordained conceptions then they would have long ago utilized P2P to the full extent in letting people know about and sample the works of their artists without fear of incrimination, and focused on providing a plethora of incentives for buying hard copies or electronic versions of the singles/albums such as vinyl editions, complementary booklets among other collectors items and features I'm sure they could brainstorm, using some of that moolah they're currently burning to sue their own fans.

Maintream music is over, independent production, promotion and distribution is how the best new music is getting made and discovered. The power balance is slowly shifting back toward the artists.

Look at the online distribution platform Bleep - some of the most brilliant music of the last 5 years is on there from labels like Warp, Planet Mu, Domino and others.

http://www.bleep.com/

http://www.videosift.com/video/Metallica-Napster-Bad

Good find - fk me dead if that's not the definition of ironic.

Recently Metallica seem to be trying to be making amends and apologising for being such aholes about the whole Napster thing, which is good to see. Now we can get back to criticising their music (and haircuts).

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Invocations (dead) cannot be called by toferyu because toferyu is not privileged - sorry.

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