Is Music Piracy Unethical?

Ever since iPods, mp3 players, Zunes, etc. were created, mp3s ( music files ) have also been there. Mp3s are available everywhere. iTunes, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Music all sell legal music, but, places like Limewire, Pirate Bay, Frostwire, etc. are examples of  places where people go to get the illegal pirated version of music. Due to the creation of these P2P files sharing websites/programs, the RIAA have been telling us, warning us, and threatening us that illegal downloaded music will cost you, but is downloading music truly unethical?

There is a very big difference between illegal, and unethical. By dictionary, Illegal is defined as prohibited by law or statue, and Unethical, is defined as pertaining to morals, or the principles of morality. So, in summary, illegal acts are not allowed, but unethical acts should not be allowed. So, should we download music from illegal file sharing websites?

Once, online I had illegally obtained a single track from my friend, and although that was unethical, the track, then led me to purchasing 3 albums from that author, and I had ended up shelling out for this particular artist's performances.
"The legit market feeds off the black market." says Mr.Grossman (author of TIMES magazine)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18644781/ii

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