In the late 20th century, file sharing and illegal downloading through Napster were the biggest hits among audiences around the world. Because of this, many people began to believe that the music industry was bankrupt due to the decline in CD sales. While this is a valid statement, the music industry is not failing; instead, it is changing in many aspects due to file sharing and illegal downloading. Music is always evolving in new and innovative ways, regardless of the minor comeback of vinyl records. Today, digital files are the most popular form of obtaining music. When you own a digital music file, you can share it with others without changing the file, in terms of quality. What makes this possible is the binary encoding that comes with any digital file. Binary code is the combination of “0s” and “1s” that make up a file, much like how DNA makes people who they are. Since binary code cannot be physically damaged, most people prefer a digital file over a hard copy, such as a CD, which can be physically damaged. Obviously, physical albums cost money. The advantage of file sharing and illegal downloading is that they cost nothing. People would rather get music for free than spend ten dollars on an album, which is why file sharing and illegal downloading are more attractive to the listener. The other advantage of file sharing is that it is easily available. People today are used to having instant access to almost anything they want. The fact that someone can get their music with just a few clicks on the Internet, yet for free, instead of going to a record store, appeals to most audiences because they can get their music with the least amount of hassle and effort. This corresponds to the desires of the... middle of paper ......them. " www.katallaxi.se. Np, nd Web. March 29, 2010. .Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin and Bettina Fabos. Media and culture: an introduction to mass communication. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin's , 2010. Print. Leeds, Jeff “The album, a commodity in disgrace”. : recorded music and live performances » Web March 30, 2011. "Woman Faces the Music, Loses Her Download Case - CBS News Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News, nd Web.".. 2011. .