Mark Cuban tests the RIAA logic…

The guy's grammar doesn't hint at his brainpower, fortunately.

Cuban points out the red herring that the RIAA has pimped for the past five years: it seems logical that illegal downloading may be at least partially responsible for lower sales but there's still no convincing proof.

He then points out that...

"DVDs - Huge Increase in Sale
Digital Photographs - Huge Increase in Sales (see corbis and other outlets)
Video Games - Huge Increase in sales
Software - Not huge increase percentage wise, but increases in actual dollars… I couldnt find a specific reference. Anyone have one ?
Ringtongs - Huge increases in Sales"

It's not that the RIAA is totally wet on this matter, it's that their argument isn't convincing and worse, it's the linchpin of their competitive strategy.

And THAT'S why people keep breaking the law. The RIAA is effectively fighting not only a changing market, but a much more pervasive changing of our culture. That culture is not rooted in theft, it's rooted in convenience and other obvious appeal.

iTMS is going to sell 350 million songs this year. That's a phenomenally huge number, one that's increased fourfold in only one year.