Why disconnecting pirates could harm the music industry

Will the Government be cutting of its nose to spite its face if it brings in legislation to disconnect suspect illegal downloaders from their broadband connection? If research released by think-tank Demos is anything to go by stopping illegal filesharing could in turn cause a chain reaction which will inadvertently harm the music industry.

In a recent survey Demos found 42 per cent of illegal downloaders opt for file-sharing to sample albums or songs before legitimately purchasing them. Additionally, 80 per cent of illegal downloaders also revealed they purchase vinyl, CDs or MP3s legally.

Those obtaining music the traditional way aren't contributing to the music industry as much as first thought, either. Those avoiding peer-to-peer sites averaged a total annual spend of just £44. Free alternatives to music such as internet radio prove more popular and are used by an average of 22 per cent.

For those willing to part with their cash 45p tended to be the optimum price for an individual track with only 2 per cent saying they were willing to pay more than £1. Currently the average price for a single music track tends to stand between 79p and 99p.

Giving a warning to the Government Demos researcher Peter Bradwell commented: “Politicians and music companies need to recognise that the nature of music consumption has changed and consumers are demanding lower prices and easier access to music.”