Who owns music?

The Grateful Dead were famous for allowing fans to tape their concerts. Those tapes generally were shared with anyone who wanted one. That was just one of many ways the Dead were unique. Most other artists and their record companies guarded their work zealously.

The Internet is a new world for those who want to sell pirated music and those willing to buy it.

Last week, the Recording Industry Association of America sued a Cape Girardeau man, alleging he illegally downloaded music or shared music files in violation of copyright laws. He is among 18,000 people the RIAA has sued since 2003 in an effort to control this practice.

Music can be downloaded legally online from any number of Web sites by paying a fee, but music also can be downloaded illegally from file-sharing sites.

The man is being sued for $350 for allegedly downloading or sharing the copyrighted music of such artists as Outkast, Destiny's Child and Marvin Gaye.

The music industry and especially artists have a right to expect payment when songs are downloaded. Artists who want to give their work away like the Dead are welcome to do so. But the illegal downloading of music hurts retailers doing business honestly and robs other artists of the legitimate profits from their talents.