The Swedish International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has heralded Sweden's crackdown against illegal P2P file sharing, which included forcing broadband ISPs to block torrent link websites (e.g. The Pirate Bay), for helping to turn music sales around following seven years of decline. Revenues rose by 18% in the first nine months of this year, coinciding with much of the crackdown.

The Guardian notes that opponents point towards the rise of new legal alternatives, such as Spotify, as also coinciding with increased music sales. Naturally copyright holders believe it is actually a combination of the two events occurring together. Education appears to have been overlooked; often just informing consumers that what they are doing is wrong, via the mass media, can have a huge impact.


The question now is whether we will see similar improvements in the UK, where many music sales have been rising organically without enforcement. But, should such a rise occur, will it happen without enforcing highly questionable customer disconnection policies upon UK broadband ISPs or giving Mandelson too much power to set new copyright laws without debate.