There's a subtle line this post is drawing: from the plain guilt of not paying the artists who created the art, to horror at realizing that if you pay them, you also give several times as much money to interest groups that go head on with your morals.
Once you realize this line exists, paying for music is no longer "the right thing to do" but an evil act, at least as evil as supporting sweat shops and Amazon deforestation.
Whether you continue to pirate music or simply stop listening to it is one's personal choice, but buying already ceased being the moral choice.
So it is moral to rob artists of royalties of songs they made which you enjoy?
I'm willing to guarantee that most don't know the labels that most artists belong to. Some are indie and are not involved with the RIAA. Should they be punished as well?
You're not any different from from those you preach against.
Once you realize this line exists, paying for music is no longer "the right thing to do" but an evil act, at least as evil as supporting sweat shops and Amazon deforestation.
Whether you continue to pirate music or simply stop listening to it is one's personal choice, but buying already ceased being the moral choice.