In this paper we will discuss the effects that digital rights management has upon the music industry. Whether it hinders the consumers experience and whether there is any actual benefit for the record company/producers of having DRM protected content. In addition we will be looking at current DRM systems and how they work, as well as looking into why people download music illegally and reproduce/distribute it. Finally we will be looking at future work within the field of Digital Rights Management, as well as the proposal for a new type of system.