(Editor’s Note: The following article was researched and written by The Agency, an Eastern Illinois University student-run public relations organization. Contributing writers were Lauren Brody, Jennifer Stoops, Amy Umbarger, Steve Larrick, Angie Faller and Nicole Samford.)

Free clothes, free food, free magazines, free laundry detergent. One guarantee in college is that students will try to get their hands on anything that is free.

But while debate surrounds the ethics and legality of downloading music, will the average Eastern Illinois University college student still try to get their music for free?

“Yes, although I don’t do it often,” said Holly Frejlich, a sophomore from Oak Brook. “It’s so easy to search for a song and download it without even stopping to think that it’s not the right thing to do.”

Josh Bergfeld , a graduate student from Mattoon, said he downloads music only if he wants to listen to a particular song. “I just listen to the radio, that’s good enough for me,” he said.

Music became available on-line in the mid-1990s to serve as another place where the public could purchase music. Soon after its premiere, piracy of online music gained popularity and free downloading began.

“It’s really convenient when you only want to listen to the popular single off of the album,” Zach Levine, a senior from Mundelein, said.

Nicole Weidner , a junior from Noble, downloads for similar reasons as Levine. “I don’t feel the need to buy the whole CD when I’ll just skip through it anyways,” she said.

On-line music piracy did not become a popular public issue until the recently when the band Metallica sued the online music company Napster. Since then, the music industry has taken many people to court insisting that downloading free music is the same as stealing.

But has the threat of being sued stopped students from downloading?

“I’m too scared of the cops to download,” said JackieEngel, a junior from Belleville. “But there are no alternatives that are as cheap and efficient (as downloading).”

Becky Peadro , a senior from Charleston, continues to download music even with the threat of getting sued. She thinks that since so many people are downloading, the chance of getting caught is minimal.

“I feel sorry for the few of the millions who have gotten in trouble, but I think downloading music off of the Internet has become too mainstream to try to capture those that download now,” she said.

On the other hand, Kelly Hinterscher, a senior from Wendelin, thinks that music downloading should be regulated and people should have to pay for the songs they download.

“I think that they (individuals sued for downloading) got what they deserved. Artists are losing sales because of this,” he said.

In recent years, legal online music companies such as iTunes Music Service, Musicmatch Inc.’s Musicmatch Downloads and RealNetworks Inc.’s Rhapsody have emerged and are gaining popularity. Prices range from 70 cents to 99 cents per song.

“It’s a suitable alternative,” said Ashley Walz, a junior from Charleston. “When you’re away at school, it’s the best way to get music.”

Cortney Troyer , a junior from Gibson City, finds there is not a reasonable solution because she still does not want to have to pay for music. “You have to pay for all of the alternatives,” she said.

While students could also obtain music by buying the CD, most will not because the average price is $15.

Samantha Smith , a sophomore from Mt. Morris, said that buying CD’s is a reasonable alternative, but she won’t because they are too expensive.

“It is cheaper and you can burn your own CDs with your choice of the songs and artists (if you download),” she said.

“(The music industry should) make more affordable music,” said Blake Feathersten, a junior from Mt. Vernon, explaining what it will take for him to stop downloading music.

But with the average college student not having a substantial income, or even an income at all, are there any solutions to downloading free music?

Karen Buerster , a junior from Newton, figured out a way to avoid the risk of downloading music. “I get tapes and copy the songs or tape them from the radio. Burning others’ CD’s is another way of getting the music you want too,” she said.

Lauren Sandheinrich , a junior from St. Libory, thinks that the only ethical way to download free music is with the artist’s permission, so she gets her music from the bands’ Web sites. “I think artists who give
permission should have a site where their music can be downloaded.

“After you had it for free, it’s hard to start paying for it,” she said.

So while Eastern students’ opinions on the ethics of downloading music vary, one thing is certain, most think it is not going to stop anytime soon.

Kerry Curran , a senior from Oak Forest, said she evaluates the situation like all others through her personal motto: “If it’s free, it’s for me!”