USC Study Downplays Impact of MP3 Downloads on CD Sales

There is little evidence that the downloading of music files over the Internet is harmful to either the recording industry or musicians, a new study of USC students says.

Sixty-three percent of the students at USC who use MP3 music files say they are buying the same number of compact discs as they did before they began downloading the MP3s, the study found. Ten percent say they’re buying more CDs.

Thirty-nine percent of students who download MP3s say that after listening to songs in the MP3 format, they often buy the CDs containing the music. Sixty-eight percent of MP3 users say they have never converted CD music to the MP3 format.

The release of the study came a month after USC banned MP3 downloads over its campus computer network from closely held Napster Inc., whose software allows people to share music over the Internet. Fifty-four percent of students interviewed say they disagree with the ban.

Napster has been the target of lawsuits by Warner Bros. Records, Sony Music Entertainment Inc. and other record labels. In April, heavy-metal band Metallica sued San Mateo, Calif.-based Napster and three universities, including USC.

Yale University and Indiana University, also named in the suit, banned Napster downloads soon after the suit was filed. USC later followed their lead and was dropped from the suit.

Metallica has come under fire on Internet discussion boards and Web sites for filing the suit. Thirty-three percent of students interviewed for the USC study said their opinion of Metallica has worsened since the lawsuit was filed.