Music Piracy In The UK Is In A Big Decline

Music Piracy In The UK Is In A Big Decline

In the late nineties and early noughties (I cringe every time I use that word), music piracy was a major issue. We had many major websites including Napster, Limewire and Kazaa were some of the most prevalent applications for music sharing via their P2P networking software. It seems, however, that music piracy, at least in the UK, is dying.

As part of a YouGov poll, only 10% of British people admitted to still illegally downloading music.

Why Is It In Decline

While just 10% to me was a surprisingly logical figure, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. These days, with the widespread of music subscription services such as Apple Music, Tidal and Spotify, there is very little need to illegally download albums any more. More to the point though, it’s actually harder to find websites in which people are tech-savvy enough to do it.

In addition to this though, piracy, in general, might also be in a decline. While 63% of people still believed they’d be engaging in some form of online thievery in 5 years time, 22% doubted that they would. YouGov has said:“While illegal downloads still present a significant challenge to the music industry, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Our research reveals a change in behaviour, with those that previously attained music by unlawful means now being enticed by the low costs and ease of use associated with streaming. Simply put, many don’t feel they need to go to the same lengths to acquire the music they want, now they have it at their fingertips. Whether or not streaming is what finally banishes illegal downloads remains to be seen, but there are encouraging signs.”

What Do You Think?

While we’re clearly not asking you to admit if you are a pirate or not, at the same time, do you think that piracy, on the whole, is in decline? In addition, do you think these figures are really accurate? Really?… – Let us know in the comments!