I wish people would stop to think about what it would be like to work for weeks or months on something, promote it, put up with a-hole execs and then not get a dime for all your work? would anyone here work all week and not like to get paid for what they do? people need to learn what intellectual property means. when you pay for music or a movie or even a book, you own the paper, the plastic, etc. but you do not own the content. you are "licensing" it. you are "renting" it. I get so frustrated. sorry amanda, wasn't flaming you - just used your post as a launching pad...
usually an artist will allow a free song on their own websites (or set something up with a legal website) to promote a new release. NO ARTIST condones illegal downloading of any of their music.