ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with problematizing both the constituent elements and collective implications of the concept digital music piracy. It critically assesses the ontological, cultural and industrial implications of the notion of 'digital music piracy'. The chapter addresses the notion of 'digital' and what it symbolizes within the current media environment lies at the heart of the conflict. In this respect, 'digital' is problematized by its fragile links with 'copyright' in the twenty-first century. J. W. Morris suggests, where music's value was previously inscribed within its physical manifestation, its immateriality in the digital environment removes many of its defining attributes, and its link with the past associations, its physical aura in general, more so its associations with format-related intrinsic copyright. The chapter presents a more holistic analysis of why traditional copyright law and its concomitant concept of 'digital music piracy' are chronically out of step with the way many of today's cultural consumers engage with music.
