I am a strong supporter of copyrights and patents.  I am a strong opponent of modern copyright and patents. Don't get me wrong, I very much support author rights, but the way copyright works in our system is just a legalized version of stealing income from the artists. The only one's who can make this work for them are the biggest of the big sellers, the mainstream pop-stars who generate millions in revenue. The percentage your average artist receives for their music sales is ridiculous and they are usually dirt poor. And this in a time when distribution is as cheap as ever (costing next to nothing). Your run off the mill private (non commercial) music-piracy (Youtube, etc.) isn't really harming the artists (they make most of their money from concerts and merchandise anyway) it's just taking money out of the pockets of the record-company leeches.