The Evolution of Music Downloads: Embracing the Digital Age

The music industry is increasingly embracing the Internet as a vital part of its market, with bands like Idlewild adapting to the digital age. Portable music players and cell phones have revolutionized how we listen to music, creating new revenue streams for the industry. In 2004, legal music downloads surged in the US and Europe, marking a significant financial milestone. Despite the growth of legal downloads and the availability of a million tracks online, illegal downloads continue to pose a threat, leading to numerous lawsuits against file sharers in the US and Europe.

How are bands like Idlewild responding to the rise of digital downloads?

• By stopping music production

• By suing downloaders

• By ignoring the trend

• By joining the mobile society

What impact have portable music players and cell phones had on music consumption?

• They have had no impact

• They have decreased music sales

• They have made music less accessible

• They have transformed how we listen to music

What was the increase in sales of legally downloaded songs in 2004?

• They rose tenfold

• They tripled

• They remained the same

• They doubled

How many sites offer legal music downloads according to the transcript?

• 100

• 230

• 500

• 1000

What is a major ongoing challenge for the music industry despite the growth of legal downloads?

• High production costs

• Illegal downloads

• Decline in concert attendance

• Lack of new artists