Is it considered illegal downloading if.....?

an artist offers their music free to download on their myspace or other page? or if it's free on their own website?

Someone tell me what's up.

I have downloaded in the past, but i never ever ever get anything from file sharing sites like Limewire (the spyware is enough to keep me off)

Is it considered illegal downloading if.....?live update

Not long ago, some weasel shyster with the RIAA was trying to claim that copying a CD to your own hard drive, for your own use, was making an illegal copy. I call BS on that. Fair Use.

Is it considered illegal downloading if.....?norten

If it's offered free by the artist then no it's not illegal
of course not if they're offering it for free then it's free