The law regarding the downloading of music is evolving as you read this.
Some feel that if you already purchased music in one medium, you have the right to download it in another. Say you have a song in 8-track, cassette or vinyl and you want it in MP3. Many feel that you should be able to legally download a song you paid for in an alternate format.
→ Read our FAQ
What are torrents?
Torrents are often used to share files and the 'tool' most often used by 
intellectual property pirates.To download a torrent, users must install special software and search through torrent search engines for the files they want.
Torrent search sites have been seized by the DHS and other agencies and torrent traffic is monitored.
Who is the RIAA and what do they do? The RIAA is the "Recording Industry Association of America" and represents the bands and artists that you likely listen to. They are concerned about the piracy of music and people who download music that they did not pay for.
They have prepared a FAQ that can answer many of your questions.
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