"If the downloads are with permission of the song/music writer and the performers, then that's cool by me. If not, it is theft. Dress it up anyway ya want, the artists are getting ripped off."
That was Peace a number of posts back. I would just like to add that there is no such thing as a free download. Somebody had to pay for it.
Very few musicians make any money from what they do. The usual target is simply survival, so that they can continue making the music, which they like. That also goes for a lot of artists, whom you see as successful. It is just as true for many of those, who are on television and in the charts etc.
Most of us are happy to give away music as much as we can. I probably give away as many albums as I sell. However, recording music well costs money. I would give away more if I could, as would most artists. We just ain't that rich though!