It turns out leaking records is good for sales

Ethan Kaplan is currently the horribly-named "VP Product, Live Nation"; prior to that, though, he was an executive at Warners Music Group. He's been on Twitter, confirming one of those things you've always suspected about what happens when albums leak:

Let me simplify this answer: YES IT LEADS TO MORE SALES. DEMAND = DEMAND W/ $$$$$$ IF PRODUCT GOOD.

Simplified further: MUSIC BUSINESS (RECORDED): your product isn't diamonds mined from a secret mythical land.

And beyond broadband/napster/whatever, what hurt you the most is PEOPLE FIGURED THAT OUT. Cynicism caught up with you.

Of course, it's only ex-executives who would be honest about that. Or soon-to-be-ex-executives.