The persistence of illegal downloading is making it difficult for people to make a career in music, it has been suggested.
The rise of illegal filesharing is threatening the whole music industry, it has been claimed.
Alex Jacob, a spokesman for the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), pointed out that the vast majority of music downloads are illegal, which prevents artists, songwriters and producers from receiving royalties.
"That inevitably affects the health of the industry. It is more difficult for artists to generate the income needed to help sustain a long-term career in music," he commented.
Mr Jacob also explained that one of the main purposes of record labels is to identify new talent and help break through into the mainstream.
The representative noted that many new musicians are being nurtured by record labels, but suggested this could be damaging if illegal downloading continues to drain revenues.
Last month, a report by the IFPI found that releases, sales and investment in local music scenes in France, Spain and Brazil are being damaged by piracy.
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