English
This paper examines the extent to which downloading on peer-to-peer (P2P) networks is responsible for the crisis in the music industry. Using the most recent empirical studies, the goal is to estimate the relevance of the two contrasting explanations usually put forward. On the one hand, it is claimed that P2P networks induce piracy and thereby reduce the consumption of legal music. On the other, it is argued that P2P networks allow users to sample a larger and new musical supply, which leads to an increase in the demand for legal music.