RIAA
1. The cassette and for that matter the 8 track never brought the music industry to its knees. It was a lot easier to get a free album when your radio station would play the whole thing and all you had to do was press record. In those days Michael Jackson still managed to make millions telling everyone to "Beat It"!
2. Dual decker tape decks had no purpose but to make copies and there was no ban against those devices as far as I know.
3 Public libraries have always been a source of "free" music how come they have never been targeted by the music industry.
4. The corporations control what we listen to. as few as 3 major corporations own ALL of the radio stations in America (except for college stations which are some of the best if you can pick them up). That is why music sounds the same everywhere you go because you are basically listening to the same network. Modern American music sucks so bad these days in ALL genres that MTV1 & 2 don't even play videos anymore. VH1 is quickly headed in that direction but their stuff is so old... nuff said on VH1.
Maybe the reason music does not sell is because at least in America it seems that getting on the radio has more to do about luck than about talent. I remember a day when if you produced a song you could take it to a radio station and if the Disk Jockey liked it he would play it for you. The corporations now own every second of the airwaves cramming songs like "umbrella ella" in your ears that they could be missing out on a great opportunity to sign the next big artist.
(off the soap box)