ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

How Music Got Free

Well kiddo, it all started a long time ago when people used to listen to music on CDs and tapes. They would have to go to a store and buy the CD or tape with their pocket money. But then something called the internet came along and people discovered they could download music for free from the internet.

Some people who loved music and knew how to use the internet started sharing music with their friends by uploading it onto the internet. This made it easy for everyone to download music for free and they didn't have to go to the music stores anymore.

However, the people who made the music like musicians, singers, and record labels didn't like this because they weren't getting paid for their hard work. They tried to stop people from sharing music for free by suing them but this didn't work very well.

Eventually, music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music came along. They made it easy for people to listen to music legally by paying a small fee every month. This helped artists get paid for their music and people could still enjoy listening to their favorite songs without breaking the law.

So basically, music got free because people started sharing it on the internet and then it became possible to listen to music legally again by using music streaming services.