Music Downloading?

OK I got a speech topic 'Should it be illegal to download music?'...i am arguing that downloading music should BE illegal..i did not get a chance to ask my teacher about it though so do you think it means downloading music in general or just stolen/free downloads? I think its free downloads but im not sure...Is there any fight over downloading music from itunes or something....So in general do you think it applies to all downloaded music (itunes and stolen music) or just free/stolen music. sorry if i made the question confusing.

Music Downloading?
Downloading copyrighted music is illegal. When you go to LimeWire, or other file sharing programs, and start downloading music, movies, etc., you're breaking the law. But chances are as long as you don't put up files for sharing, no one will care that much.





This might be what your assignment is about, but it would be a debate of principle rather than policy. Your teacher may be asking you to take a stand on either the position of the owner of the copyrighted music or the person downloading copyrighted music.





Downloading music off iTunes would never be illegal because Apple pays for the music rights and all they claim to be profiting from is the work putting the music into computer files. So there is no copyright violation there.
Reply:As far as i know that topic still has to do with downloading free music.
Reply:It is illegal to download music you do not own.





An artist or band makes money why you buy their album or their songs on iTunes.





If you are downloading them or sharing them without paying for them, then you are in fact stealing from the artists and the record labels.





It's the same thing as sneaking into a movie or a sporting event without purchasing a ticket.
Reply:I don't get that either. if you tape a song of the radio it's legal (I guess), if you download it from the Internet its not, what's the difference?
Reply:I don't even know anymore. There's a listening period of 24 hours or something and then everything is illegal. And then its downloading at all is illegal. And then some songs have extra protection on them so you can't buy them at all. iTunes is legal and other programs like that are. Then everyone gets into p2p software and torrents. It's all pretty smudged up to me as well.