It's no secret that the recording industry doesn't exactly approve of file sharing, but I was pretty shocked when I read this, courtesy of Last Year's Girl.

The BPI (the body which represents the UK record industry) wants all UK ISPs to sign up to a so-called three strikes policy - where users of file sharing networks get two warnings and are then disconnected if they are sharing copyright files.

She adds:

It’s a bit disappointing that the message (which ended up in my spam folder and was only spotted by accident - sucks to be you, Web Sheriff) related to my favourite band - whose “unreleased” album is, by the way, officially out on iTunes and has been since 9th June - but such is life in our heavily policed modern world. The number of people I’ve turned on to this particular band is, of course, irrelevant because copyright is copyright is copyright. Treatises on whether a twenty-year-old law best serves an internet that could never have been predicted back in 1988 are as tired as they are unlistened-to by those in power.

Looking back at the number of lawsuits against music fans (and grandmothers ) for illegally downloading music, it's something I don't want to touch, and as a music blogger, I'd be lying if I said my site didn't suffer for it. As much as I'd love to pepper my blog with a few obscure MP3s, I fear being slapped with a lawsuit more than I fear having a boring site. I use YouTube (like everyone else on the planet) and its vast archives of obscure videos from the fringes of MTV.(Annie Zaleski from theA to Z blog is a whiz at finding some long-forgotten music via YouTube.) But people love to share music, and much to the irritation of the recording industry, blogs are a perfect medium for sharing songs. Even those who don't write about music exclusively love to share their tastes (like Sweetney has done this week), and sites like Muxtape make it all too easy. Popular MP3 blogger Largehearted Boy links only to legal MPs offered by record labels, but what other alternatives are out there? You can easily set up radio stations from Pandora and Last.FM or link to the samples provided at sites like iLike.

Some sites are still willing to take the risk and offer MP3s to their readers, usually with a disclaimer like the aptly-titled, and sorely missed Copy, Right?:

MP3s on this blog are available for a short time and are here for sampling purposes only. My only goal is to share my love/hate relationship with cover songs and to turn readers on to artists of whom they might not have otherwise been aware.

Other sites offering MP3s:
Curiously Tasty
I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS
Come Pick Me Up

If you're thinking about posting copyrighted music on your site, think of the consequences, but do what's comfortable for you. If you have a favorite artist that you feel needs more exposure, offering a taste of their music might just be what the world needs.