I love when I’m right! Not that being right in this case was all that hard, most people I know who are familiar with “goings on” online know intuitively or through experience that that’s the way it works;
In summary, CRIA’s own research now concludes that P2P downloading constitutes less than one-third of the music on downloaders’ computers, that P2P users frequently try music on P2P services before they buy, that the largest P2P downloader demographic is also the largest music buying demographic, and that reduced purchasing has little to do with the availability of music on P2P services. I’ve argued many of these same things, but now you don’t have to take my word for it; you can take it from the record labels themselves.—CRIA’s Own Study Counters P2P Claims
Nothing in there surprises me. It’s the way pretty much everyone I know goes about things and it makes the most sense. People are ready to pay for stuff, they simply want to pay a reasonable price (cheaper online and at shows), be able to listen/watch what they buy with a minimum of hassle (digital or easily rippable) and, ideally, know that the people who made what they are listening to/watching get a reasonable cut of the procedes (from band sites / at shows). The closer you can come to that, the better off you are.
Just so happens the major music labels aren’t always the best choice (rarely actually) but thanks to online purchasing and people being mostly honest, they aren’t being hurt as much as they try to make it look. Just put out better stuff and quit complaining!
(I’m mixing a couple of things there and not being quite clear but screw it, other things to read)