Illegal music downloads at all-time high, says study

July 31, 2007 – Illegal downloads of music have reached an all-time high in the UK, according to the Digital Music Survey 2007 study, carried out by Entertainment Media Research in conjunction with media lawyers Olswang.

The study, now in its fourth year, revealed that 43% of consumers in the UK admitted to downloading music without paying for it, compared to 36% in the previous year.  Consumers are less worried about legal recriminations too, with only one third reporting concerns in the 2007 study, compared to over 40% in 2006.

Russell Hart, Chief Executive of Entertainment Media research, commented that more people are downloading music illegally as official downloads are perceived as too pricey.  Authorised downloads grew by 15% in 2007 so far, according to the study, compared to 40% in 2006.

The study also revealed that the growth of social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace is helping to “democratise” the music industry, with more people discovering music online and via such sites.  “Social networks are fundamentally changing the way we discover, purchase and use music,” Hart added.  “The dynamics of democratisation, word of mouth recommendation and instant purchase challenge the established order and offer huge opportunities for forward-thinking businesses.”