With YouTube, Spotify, and music easily downloaded for free off the internet, music artists are facing the issue of losing financial compensation for their work.

These days, it is simple for anyone with basic computer skills to download music illegally from the internet, and YouTube can be viewed and listened to on cellphones, avoiding the need for purchasing music to enjoy it.

However, if music becomes free, how will artists be able to make a living and continue releasing new compositions?

Sacramento State students have varied opinions on whether music should be free or not.

Kelly Ahola, psychology major, said artists deserve to be paid for the work they put in and the final release of that work to the public.

“I think people should be compensated,” Ahola said.

Music artist Taylor Swift removed some of her songs from Spotify to make a statement that artists should be, in her words, fairly compensated for their work.

However, when people can access music online and download it to their devices for free with illegal programs, no compensation is directly delivered to the artists who created the song.

Ahola spoke about illegally downloading music online for use on personal devices.

“The fact that it’s available makes it awkward,” Ahola said. “I don’t think it’s OK because people should be compensated.”

Not all students think music should cost money to the final consumer.

Khou Vang, undeclared major at Sac State, said it is acceptable to consume music without paying for it.

“Yes [music should be free] because I love music,” Vang said.

She acknowledged a reason why one might argue that music should be free to download.

“It’s OK because some people can’t afford it,” Vang said.

With an album selling anywhere from $5 to $20, or an individual song going for an average of $1, purchasing a large collection of music poses a challenge for college students who may live on a strict budget that allows for few luxuries.

Vanessa Duenas, biology major, also thinks songs should not cost anything when buying them for personal use.

“It should be free because it’s something I think would help anyone de-stress,” said Duenas. “It’s how we get away.”

Music is a way to get lost in another world and let the mind drift away from reality. It stimulates the brain and allows listeners to create their own images for the songs meaning.

Many people do not consider how much money is taken away from the entire music industry when music is not paid for.

An analysis by the Institute for Policy Innovation estimated the industry loses $422 million in tax revenues, $2.7 billion in workers salaries and over 71,000 music related jobs due to music piracy.

If this cycle continues and increases, every music artist, producer and distributor will be affected. Even if an artist has passion for what they do, they need to have the funds to continue creating and releasing music.

Artists bring in money from concerts and entertainment appearances, but their music is what brings many of them fame and recognition. If illegal downloads become the norm, the quality and consistency of music could decrease to the point where it loses its magic and respectability.

“As an artist’s perspective, it’s their career and they need to get paid for it,” Duenas said.