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The music listening public has now run through Napster, Audiogalaxy, Kazaa and other download services, and now are stopped in their tracks as far as downloading (if they're smart).

The basic problem that the music and film industry hasn't kept up with trends and technology.  Is downloading stealing?  I hold that it both is and isn't.   Let me give you an example.

Two of my favorite songs are from an album done in the '60's by Herbie Mann who recently passed on:  Wailing Wall and All My Children.  I bought this record decades ago.  I played it until it was somewhat scratched.  I recorded it onto tape with my stereo-tape player.  I gave away all my records when my stereo bit the dust, as first, they had too many pops, snaps and skips to enjoy, and I had recorded them, pops and all, to tape to continue to enjoy.  Then the tapes (and all my tape players) pretty much wore out.  As the tapes deteriorated, I tried to find replacements.  No luck. Not in stores or on the internet.  Not on Napster, Audiogalaxy, Kazaa, EMusic, Internet Radio Stations...  What happened to them?  If they were recorded once, there has to be a master somewhere.  These and many, many other favorite recordings have disappeared into the ether, probably never to be reproduced.   

There's movements afoot to bring back albums of early works by many artists either passed on, no longer recording or in their declining years, but record companies know these albums won't be profitable so they don't do it.

I agree that downloading and distributing current artists or songs currently available is theft.  But what about songs that cannot even be found?  Or when there's several old songs you really like but the only way you can get it is to buy albums full of stuff you don't care for.

In addition, it may be irrational but I would resent buying the same song at a high price, maybe mixed in with things I didn't even want, for perhaps the fifth time.  That's right - five times.   45's, Stereo records, 8-tracks, cassette and now CD's.  And I strongly suspect that as soon as everyone has large CD collections, a new system will pop up.  I can't believe that CD's are the last word in technology.

Very few people can afford to buy and own (even if they could find them) hundreds of CD's of past artists, many dead and gone or no longer recording.  So they're copyrighted - so what if they are no longer available except at yard sales or junk shops?

Solution?  All those masters are out there somewhere.  I would pay for a reliable and cheap download.   I wouldn't pay 99¢ a song for something recorded in the '40s or '50's that I already had bought in one or more forms and worn out.  But I would pay, say, 10¢ apiece or 20¢ for more popular and still-recording artists, and download probably hundreds of old songs at that price.   I would love to put together my own albums.   I would love to have a reliable copy of a song, not too loud, cut off at the end, nor live with conversations and clinking cutlery in the background.  The more you have, the more you want, and a big source of profit is being overlooked.

New, active artists with fresh work, currently popular, can charge the high prices, and copyright violation should be pursued.  

Would there be backlash on this kind of service?  Sure, because it would cut out the retailer, wholesaler, the people that make up the albums, ad agencies, promoters and advertisers, etc.  

Same goes for old movies - thousands are unavailable and deteriorating, and many people would be thrilled to download dozens and dozens of collector items if the price were right.

How about it!  Send your opinion.