It's worth noting briefly that in the world of consumer media CD sales are perking up, up ten percent over last year, as CNET reports. RIAA reps tout the effectiveness of their piracy campaign as a key factor, but that seems to ring with about as much authority as a politician's spin on their record. The key stat is the 59 million single songs that have been sold via outlets such as Apple's iTunes and MusicMatch. Seems I remember buying singles as a kid when I wasn't sure I wanted a whole album - oftentimes upgrading anyway once I found out how much I liked the artist. Anti-piracy efforts may be having some effect on buyer behavior, but the more likely scenario is that content consumers are becoming comfortable with the ease and convenience of rights-protected downloads. Something for other types of premium content providers to think about.