Based on common sense and the research I've done on the topic, the bands who get hurt the most by downloading are those who are already immensely popular. Artists like Justin Timberlake don't need any more advertising and downloads simply take away from his overall sales.
In contrast, a lot of new bands (particularly in the indie genre where they're not going to get much in the way of press) really rely on the internet and P2P downloading to develop a fan-base. Make no mistake, bands like The Arcade Fire or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! never would have made it big so quickly without free downloading.
|