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...a further indication that online music sharing sites are hurting the recording industry, a trade group said Monday.

From time to time during my life, I have observed that sales of recorded music slump. Prior to this time, no one EVER tried to allege that it was because of piracy--even though recording onto cassette tape from LPs and the radio and CD were always done (remember "C30, C60, C90 GO!" by Bow Wow Wow?)

No, at that time the consensus was that sales were down because

THE CURRENT STATE OF POP MUSIC SUCKED!!!!!!

Now, isn't it JUST POSSIBLE, JUST POSSIBLE mind you, that this is the case today?

Britney Spears. I rest my case.

You both summed up the problem very nicely. The music stinks and it is too expensive. The great music from the past has allready been bought for the most part. I don't need any more Beatles or Stones albums. Without a transfer to a completely new medium (8-track to cassette to cd to ?) or some great new music, sales will go down hill for quite some time.

Compact disc music sales decreased 7 percent during the first half of the year, a further indication that online music sharing sites are hurting the recording industry, a trade group said Monday.

It should read...a further indication that the music is so bad nobody cares enough about it to invest in the lyrics, artwork, and liner notes, as it has no long term value.

Ahh....the logical explanation has surfaced...with overplayed pop non-singing icon-ettes such as the britney you refer to (whose voice is mostly sampled and distoreted to have a certain effect to account for her inability to sing) lead the charts, followed closely behind by the grwonup boy band n-stync, and those men still running around with that name backstreet BOYS, well then....there you have it....the state of pop music today...

and how many bands like creed, pearl jam, nickelback and athose others that all sound the same do you need to buy before you've heard it all...

and even maria "meltdown" carey....well if she hadn't decided to start acting black in everything she does...or even acting like she tried...well she might produce another ear-piercing wale or two that might keep someone from falling asleep from her next album

But wait...maybe it IS those racist boys over at Sony for not properly handling that last album from michael "pedophile" jackson...

oh well, if all else fails blame it on the economy which doesn't afford young kids the money to go out and buy as much crap nowadays...I for one am fine with that...

THE CURRENT STATE OF POP MUSIC SUCKED!!!!!! Now, isn't it JUST POSSIBLE, JUST POSSIBLE mind you, that this is the case today? Britney Spears. I rest my case.

I agree. That's why I download the old stuff, which shouldn't significantly reduce overall sales. It;s that the "newer" stuff is crap. These entertainment execus are plain stupid, just like TV news execs. They don't know what is good or bad and what will sell.

Phil Donahue. I rest my case.

THE CURRENT STATE OF POP MUSIC SUCKED!!!!!!

You are, of course, exactly right.

I think the reason it sucks is actually pretty interesting, because it's fairly typical of what's wrong with the general corporate trend toward huge megamergers.

As it happens, there's still a lot of really good music and there, but the good performers don't get the PR, because the megamedia corporations are too busy pushing their small stables of stars. (e.g., Britney Spears.)

The best example I can think of is AOLTimeWarner -- even if they don't pay any attention to the pop scene, AOL users will know exactly who the "big stars" are, because they're on the "Welcome" page day after day after day. Same sexy but vapid people, same stories, and only rarely does anybody new show up -- and the new ones are basically interchangeable.

One has to imagine that the various megacorps have deals with Clear Channel -- which has 1200 radio stations to play the same old crap. It's a big marketing circle jerk.

I love the "justifications" for stealing content urged by freeloaders ...

1. CDs are too expensive.

2. The music sucks.

3. The RIAA is a big, mean, greedy organization that doesn't care about my rights.

4. Artists don't get enough of a cut of profits.

5. Stealing content actually increases sales (what a whopper of a lie).

6. The RIAA needs to change its business model to suit my tastes.

7. It's "fair use" for me to trade songs with my friends and unknown parties on the Internet.

8. DVDs give me more content than CDs.

9. The RIAA should distribute all songs online.

10. Blah, blah, blah... [fill in your own bullshit here] ...

Look, you may lie to other people. But don't lie to yourselves. If you steal content, you're a thief, a freeloader, and a loser. You might as well be boosting hubcaps or ripping off old ladies handbags.