As Janis Ian said in a live radio interview, "The Internet and downloading are here to stay. . . Anyone who thinks otherwise should prepare themselves to end up on slagheap of history." Although strongly opposed by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), downloading has become a way of life for most music lovers. Rather than resist this change, music industry should be rejoicing at a new technological advance with ability to "push" their product. Here is a fool-proof method to deliver music to millions of people who might not otherwise purchase a CD in a store. It's instantaneous, costs are minimal, shipping non-existent--in short, a staggering vehicle for higher earnings and lower costs.

The music industry had exactly same hysterical reaction to advent of reel-to-reel home tape recorders, cassettes, minidiscs, VHS, BETA, music videos, MTV, and a host of other technological advances designed to make consumer's life easier and better. And rather than spend billions of dollars and countless years in courtroom battles over inane copyright laws, music business should embrace downloading and reap benefits of free exposure for artists.

Realistically, why do most people download music? To hear NEW music, or listen to records that have been deleted and are no longer available for purchase. The goal is not to avoid paying $5 at local used CD store, or taping it off radio, but to hear music they simply can't find anywhere else. Face it--most people cannot afford to spend $17.95 to experiment on music they may not want.