The way bands market themselves is changing, with newer groups distributing their music via the Internet, circumventing the record labels. And the record labels are feeling the sting of these changes, as well as the technological advances that are involved with file sharing.

LimeWire, the fastest growing file-sharing program, are the most recent victims of “Napster syndrome.” The company is under the gun of major recording industries, who are suing the company for copyright infringement. The Associated Press reported last week that the coalition of record labels owned by Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and EMI Music are seeking at least $150,000 per instance when a copyrighted song was distributed without permission. They claim the firm encourages users to trade music without permission.

This is the first piracy lawsuit brought against a business such as this since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that technology companies that encourage customers to steal music and movies over the Internet could be sued.

Many new issues such as these are popping up as the industry is forced to change with the times. Intellectual property is being defined and re-defined as it is examined from these new angles. Who owns what, and how they get paid is fast becoming a topic of serious study.