Scott B proclaimed:

It is work. Would you do your job for nothing and hope that someone appreciates it enough to throw you a bone?

Of course not. But that doesn't mean that artists are *entitled* to compensation for their efforts.

Believe it or not, Joe - they ARE entitled! You, the consumer, is entitled to ignore an artist and his/her music altogether but the minute you decide you would like to have/own/possess, digitally or otherwise, whatever it is artist X, Y or Z has to offer you are on the hook. Even more so in this day and age where artists often stream their releases in full or have 4, 5 full songs on their MySpace and 'blind' CD's purchases are essentially a thing of the past.