The Lowdown Here's your "Downloading 101" resource

Downloading music from the Internet really exploded with the introduction of the MP3 format. MP3 is a technology that makes music files very small. This compression lets us download a song in only seconds or minutes, instead of hours. Because the files aren't big, we can store hundreds of songs on our computers without filling up our hard drives. Thanks to new technology, MP3 files can now be played on devices other than our computers, such as a portable MP3 player, and even cell phones.

The big issue with downloading music isn't how we play the music, but where it comes from and what we do with it. Downloading from a legitimate site, like iTunes is perfectly legal. However, when we share or swap music files on non-licensed Internet sites (sometimes called P2P), or burn music onto blank CDs and give them away or sell them, then (as a rule of thumb) it's not legal. (For more info on what's legal and what's not, check out our FAQ.)

Because of the impact that downloading has had on the music industry, the trade group that represents the biggest record companies, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), (very different from The Recording Academy which represents the music creator) has begun to bring lawsuits against people who illegally download and swap music files on the Internet. They argue, and the courts agree, that downloading and swapping music illegally is just like stealing a CD from a store, and they want to encourage music lovers to aquire and enjoy their music without breaking the copyright laws.

Beyond what the RIAA thinks, what do the musical artists - the singers, songwriters, bands, engineers, arrangers - think about all this? Their opinions are as varied as the music they make. Some are all for downloading, some are against it, and some are stuck somewhere in-between.

The wide range of viewpoints on the issue underlines the constant change in the world of digital music. Every day, new digital technologies are being developed and new legal challenges are being issued as stakeholders - music makers, industry executives, parents, the courts, political leaders, and us, the music fans - work to figure out what the new world of downloading means for everyone today and for the future of music.

Stay tuned to WhatsTheDownload.com for the latest news and information about the downloading controversy. And don't forget to make your opinion known by commenting our message boards or on our blog!