Web users in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France legally downloaded around 180 million tracks in the first six months of this year, compared to 57 million in the first half of 2004,
according to a report released Thursday by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The organization, which represents the international recording industry, also reported 900 million
pirated tracks on peer-to-peer networks, an increase of 3 percent since January.
--Wendy Davis