Realistic laws are more likely to be respected and followed

What I mean by realistic is once a song has been out there a while, it's time to get over yourself and let it go. Copyrights should last 7, maybe 10 years then the music should become public domain. In such a case as a society we can then appeal to people's sense of decency and right-n-wrong with a notion of "artists have to eat" but also people will recognize that royalties are limited and it's not like you have to wait forever. People will be able to differentiate between being asked to buy "the white album" for the fifth time and buying something that came out a week ago.
As of now they're basically the same - you are asked to pay across the board - people then respond across the board. if I could download the older music legally and free, I'd be much more likely to pay for new music. I wouldn't associate being jacked for the third time for "thriller" with buying nickleback. The resentment wouldn't flow over, or whatever. the point is, for whatever reason, it would f'in work.

Is it right to use some one else's lyrics, change the words a little and then use it as your own? If we as students rewrite some elses work, information or material in our school work, even if we just change a few words in a sentence then call it our own work, and do not give the orginal person recognition or credit, we can be expelled from college and it goes on our record as being someone who plagiarizes (steals). Should it not be the same for artist that take other artist words and change them a little to make a profit for themselves and credit themselves for the lyrics of someone else's song.

cant say that i agree here... if i write a song, copyright it, publish it, etc.....why should that work/creation that i worked hard to create and publish automaticaly become public domain after 7-10 yrs????