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Originally Posted by bill_mchale
it doesn't mean it wouldn't have increased more if they hadn't cracked down
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You're kidding, right? They've driven, heavily, the development of the "Pirate" scene. Ask your local friendly Socilogist. More, simply because people stopped using a particular p2p network (or rather, said they did) dosn't mean they're buying new music (second hand CD shops are doing bumper business!).
It's perfectly reasonable to argue that the music industry's tactics in chasing individual file sharers, via a shadowy network of companies and using shaky evidence in many cases, has put fuel on the fire their image is burning on, and it's one of the
major factors which has driven the counter-culture which argues that downloading is acceptable, that argues the major labels (although, bluntly, it also splashes over almost as badly on the smaller and reasonable lables) are parasites on musicians and encourages unauthorised copying.
They haven't stopped either. They're currently trying to change national laws, hurting far larger industries (chasing civil infringements, remember) if you hadn't noticed.
This isn't about legal, it's about sales in the mid, short and long terms. And the music industry have spiked their own. Why do so many people want other industries to go there?