People who believe downloaded music should always be free is a major problem for the music world.
The music industry's largest problem is people who believe downloaded music should always be free, it has been suggested.
Will Lines, communications officer at Music Publishers Association Online, said the industry welcomes technological advances that allow customers to transfer purchased music to their mp3 player or mobile phone.
He explained that even the major record labels' decision to offer their recordings in iTunes Plus Digital Rights Management-free format will not result in a large increase in illegal downloading, as the activity is already so widespread.
Mr Lines added: "The biggest challenge we face as an industry will remain how we engage with those consumers who have come to regard music as free or inherently low in value."
Figures from International Federation for Information Processing Digital Record Report 2008 estimate that 1.7 billion online songs were downloaded over 2007, showing a 53 per cent increase on the previous year.
In addition, over 90 per cent of UK single sales are now digital, with Britons buying 77.6 million songs over the internet in 2007.
