The biggest advantage to downloading music on the Internet is the convenience. You have the ability to log onto one of the many music sites on the Internet and buy your music from the comfort of your home. The act of getting up and going out to a store which may or may not have the album you are looking for is no longer necessary. Also, since you are downloading individual files instead of purchasing an entire album, you will no longer be stuck with songs on an album that you do not want. Downloading provides an easy way to get the music you want in an easy, worry-free manner.
Another advantage has to do with cost. This advantage takes its form in two different ways. Many music sites charge a small fee for their membership and a charge for each download. It may seem like a lot of fees, but--song for song--it works out to less than the typical cost of a CD. The ability to purchase and download music from the Internet has lowered the price per song. If you combine this with the ease of purchasing at home, the cost savings is even greater because no money is spent on travel to and from a store. If you are a retailer or the studio, your costs are also decreased. If people are buying music online, less physical stock has to be manufactured and purchased. Companies have to spend less to get the products into the hands of the customers.
With the ability to download music, society's cultural consciousness can begin to grow. The Internet is completely democratic and allows everyone to have an equal voice. Because of this, new and independent bands have the ability to get their music heard by more people. Instead of waiting to be discovered by a record company, musicians are able to put their own music on the Internet. This helps you, the consumer, get a wider range of music to choose from. What this ultimately does is that it takes the power to define a culture out the hands of a few people (such as the "Big Five" record companies) and places it back in the hands of the masses.