MU121 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Rock Music, Gnutella, Limewire
Document Summary
One of the first important methods of internet distribution to emerge was the traditional online sale. Consumers began using online retailers to purchase cds, and have them shipped directly to a home or office. An entire generation of listeners began to experiment with sharing music in the form of electronic files. The most popular of these services was napster, a peer-to-peer file-sharing program that allowed users to download files quickly and easily from other users. Listeners gained access to more music than ever. Trading music was illegal, and a decade of litigation proved that both users and those who developed these systems violated copyright laws. Musicians, songwriters, and record companies lost a tremendous amount of revenue. Bands spoke out publicly against napster and filed lawsuits. Metallica filed a lawsuit and it was perceived as music industry greed. Users became interested in computer software that allowed them to organize their files on a computer.
