I think it will be more of the same. At the tip top you will have a few bands that made it before the internet age and whose fans largely don't relate to them via the net. You'll also see a few post-internet bands who've figured out how to make downloading work for them. The rich will get richer.

But for the vast majority of bands there will be less work and less money. On the one hand since I think the music industry has way too many bands or performers anyway a certain shaking out of the marginal talent will be a good thing. On the other hand, a lot of the musicians I like from back in the day took two or more albums to build a name for themselves and find some level of commercial success. That's almost impossible today. You either make it big right away or you stay laboring in anonymity.

I am not bothered by the prospect of record companies making less money since they are responsible for $18 cd's with 1 or 2 decent songs on them BUT I can't accept people saying they have a "right" to free music. That same attitude is harming the newspaper industry, the fiction market and is impacting the film industry as well. If you're a creative person you have the right to create product and put it in the market at a price you think reasonable. The consumer has the right to not buy it or attempt to negotiate with you for a different price. They don't have the right to take your stuff for free and tell you they're doing you a favor.

We'll see higher concert ticket prices as bands attempt to make up the difference.