A NORWEGIAN company has conducted research into illegal music downloading that, for the first time, has shown a positive turn of events. And it is long overdue.

According to a survey conducted by Norstat on behalf of Aspiro Music, live streaming of music online reduces the extent of illegal music file sharing.

Over half of the respondents of the survey said that streaming causes them not to download music illegally anymore.

The music industry is suffering greatly at the hands of people who refuse to pay for something that, before the internet, they had no choice but to pay for.

The reality is the number of people who would have been willing to walk into a store and steal a CD is monumentally smaller than the number of people willing to download music illegally, and the two actions are one in the same.

Aspiro have said they believe streaming is a 'giant step in the right direction, both for people in general and for the music industry. The key success factor is to develop payment solutions that satisfy the whole music machinery.'

Finally, a potential solution, or at least a small step towards a solution, to an ongoing problem.

It is a pleasant change to read about suggestions moving forward rather than being witness to artists and music execs battling it out on social networking sites.

Gone are the days of spending €20 on a CD just so you can have one song you love at your disposal.

We now have an endless flow of information at our fingertips – at the click of a button, and for €1.29, the song of the moment can instantly appear in your playlist for your listening pleasure.

Having said that, €1.29 for a single track is still expensive considering you can purchase a new-release CD for €12 that could have up to 15, if not more, tracks.

But that is the price we pay for doing the right thing and buying our music, while countless millions choose to break the law and illegally share files they are not entitled to. The prices are high because the distribution companies are losing out to file sharing and need to make up revenue.

But if the prices were reduced, would it encourage more people to legally make their purchases? The research has, of course, brought the whole issue firmly back into the spotlight. But then it never really went away. It is an issue that has had the industry divided and been the cause of countless public rows.

Lily Allen is most notably on the list of those to vocalise their anger.

She went so far as to walk away from the industry, however briefly, after suffering the consequences of exercising her right to free speech.

What was most concerning about the whole Allen affair was when she was forced to make the decision to remove her blog against illegal file sharing because the abuse she was receiving was 'getting too much'.

On the other side of the spectrum, Colombian singer Shakira said the practice of illegal file sharing 'makes her feel closer to her fans'.

Would not the ultimate mark of respect from her fans be the willingness to pay money for the pleasure of experiencing her music? By refusing to spend money on music, I would have assumed it was a sign of disrespect or a lack of regard for the artist in question.

Regardless of our 'profession' we all expect to be able to survive financially on our skills.

Illegal file sharing not only denies musicians the possibility of making a living, but could ultimately see a dilution of the pool of talent and the quality of music we, as listeners, have the luxury of experiencing.

- KATRINA DAL MOLIN