The widespread availability of music that can be downloaded for free off the Internet has decimated sales of compact discs in recent years -- amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Perhaps belatedly, the music industry is starting to fight back, filing high-profile lawsuits against individuals to discourage piracy and promoting new online sites that sell licensed music for a low price. But many observers wonder whether the industry, long resistant to the new technology, will adapt in time to remain profitable. As physical distribution of music on plastic discs becomes an anachronism, who will profit from promoting and marketing music that's available everywhere through digital devices -- the labels, the artists, legitimate Internet companies or the pirates?

Alan Greenblatt has been writing about politics and government in Washington and the states for more than a decade. As a reporter at Congressional Quarterly, he won the National Press Club’s Sandy Hume award for political journalism. Since joining the staff of Governing magazine, he has covered issues of concern to state and local governments, including budgets, taxes, and higher education. Along the way, he has written about politics and culture for numerous publications, including the Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Alan Greenblatt has been writing about politics and government in Washington and the states for more than a decade. As a reporter at Congressional Quarterly, he won the National Press Club’s Sandy Hume award for political journalism. Since joining the staff of Governing magazine, he has covered issues of concern to state and local governments, including budgets, taxes, and higher education. Along the way, he has written about politics and culture for numerous publications, including the Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle.