I am saying the onus should be on everyone -
Solo could have maintained radio silence - instead they promoted the link on the front page.
Its not the sites job - but it could be their conviction - it doesn't even really take a lot of effort
Is it right to conclude that your argument is that Solo should be run differently, that leaks should be suppressed in order to maximise sales to the artistic and financial benefit of Morrissey and the record company?
Since they worked at producing and promoting the material, and financially backed it, then it seems a reasonable case. Why should the worker not benefit from their work?
But you are trying to promote a
moral argument to those who do not share your views, while admitting you also downloaded.
The issue is not as simple as you imply. Respect for the record industry was lost long ago, as consumers realised they were being ripped off by high prices and excessive profits, much of which did not go to the artist anyway.
Also the refusal of the music industry to adopt new business models in a fast-changing economic environment, but instead relying of heavy-handed legal threats and prosecutions served to alienate the consumer further.
Now the horse has bolted and instead of bullying the consumer the record companies need to charm them with reasonably priced products available for download and in physical forms at the time of release.
The record companies could help themselves by adopting some of the tactics you described for Bob Dylan to prevent leaks. But I get the impression allowing leaks is a tactic sometimes used in the hope of hyping a new album beyond the core fanbase. Now that festivals, live performance and merchandise are more profitable comparably to album sales, free distribution of the product by enthusiastic supporters may do more benefit that harm?? Maybe.
Illegal downloading does affect sales. So does a poor quality product, poor distribution and poor promotion. YOR was unavailable in many record shops in the week of release due to distribution problems.
Illegal downloads are a part of the problem, but taping and illegal burning of CD's were before too. The poor performance of YOR cannot be attributed to that alone.
As a poster above commented, look at sales figures and price in a year's time to compare how well YOR has fared compared to other contemporaneous releases.