Downloading an MP3 that is not available for purchase
<p>If I download an album, from 2011, from a TV show from a foreign country on archive.org, is that illegal or legal? I was not able to find the music to purchase legally in any capacity digitally. The only way seems to be second hand via ebay. It's an album from Japan and I live in America and was able to find it on archive.org.</p>

<p>An album from 2011 is pretty clearly going to be protected by copyright. Downloading such a work without permission would be copyright infringement, and therefore unlawful. However, it is not a crime in the US. If the  copyright owner or the owner's agent learns of the download, you could be sued. Whether the owner would choose to bring suit is hard to say.</p>
<p>However, for some content the Internet Archive has a program where a digital copy can be &quot;borrowed&quot; or &quot;checked out&quot; for a limited period of time. This is supposed to work like a library. The IA has made arrangements that will authorize this, or it is supposed to have done so. You only retain use of such a download for a limited period of time.</p>

<p>You need permission from the copyright owner, otherwise copying the rule (downloading it) is completely illegal: it is copyright infringement. Even if it is not available to you at any price.</p>

united-states copyright