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# File-Sharers Buy 30% More Music Than Non-Sharers [STUDY]
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/file-sharers-purchase-30-more-music-than-non-sharers-study/
- Published: 2012-10-17T10:40:00.000Z
- Updated: 2012-10-17T10:40:00.000Z
- Description: click on image to enlarge While intuitively it makes sense to believe that music pirates are largely out to hoard large collections of free content, a comprehensive new study reveals. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/10/file-sharers-purchase-30-more-music-than-non-sharers-study
- Author: admin
- Tags: Uncategorized, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:49

[![640x341xP2P-Collections-1024x546.png.pagespeed.ic.xGmwYqS5cW](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2017d3cc589ff970c-250wi "640x341xP2P-Collections-1024x546.png.pagespeed.ic.xGmwYqS5cW")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2017d3cc589ff970c-popup?ref=hypebot.com) 

click on image to enlarge

While intuitively it makes  
sense to believe that music pirates are largely out to hoard large collections  
of free content, [a comprehensive new study](http://piracy.americanassembly.org/where-do-music-collections-come-from/?ref=hypebot.com#more-1917) reveals that file-sharers in the  
United States tend to purchase *more* music  
than non-file-sharers. The findings come from a new report entitled "Copy  
Culture in the USA and Germany," conducted by [**The American Assembly**](http://piracy.americanassembly.org/?ref=hypebot.com)  
– a non-partisan public affairs forum affiliated with Columbia University.  
Their findings indicate that **file-sharers actually purchase 30% more music**, contradicting  
major label and RIAA wisdom of piracy being “devastating” for music sales.

  
To collect their data, the group  
conducted thousands of telephone interviews throughout the United States and  
Germany to catch a glimpse into the sharing habits of both countries. They  
found that the average music file collection in the United States now stands at  
1,444 songs. As one might expect, file-sharers in the U.S. were found to  
have approximately 37% larger music collections than non-file-sharers.

“Most of the difference comes  
from higher levels of ‘downloading for free’ and ‘copying from friends/family’,”  
wrote American Assembly’s Joe Karaganis. “Some of it also comes from  
significantly higher legal purchases of digital music than their non-P2P using  
peers–around 30% higher among US P2P users. Our data is quite clear on this  
point and lines up with numerous other studies: The biggest music pirates are  
also the biggest spenders on recorded music.”

The group’s research also found  
that the ripping of CDs and offline file sharing among friends accounts for a  
higher percentage of people’s music collection than P2P file sharing does across  
all age groups.

While these findings may come  
as a bit of a surprise to the folks at the major labels and the RIAA, it’s been  
seen through numerous studies that file-sharers tend to be those users who are most  
passionate about music and constantly seek to consume and discover as much new  
music as they possibly can. The use of file-sharing networks is simply their  
most straightforward and convenient way to do so.

—

***Hisham Dahud*** *is a Senior Analyst for Hypebot.com. Additionally, he is the head of Business Development for [Fame House](http://famehouse.net/?ref=hypebot.com) and an [independent musician](https://soundcloud.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com). Follow him on Twitter: [@HishamDahud](http://twitter.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com)*