Almost every article I have ever heard of on the issue indicates that piracy results in improved exposure, and that results in increased sales.
The sole exception is always material directly funded by industry groups like the RIAA/etc.
Please note that the conflating the kind organized *counterfeiting* with piracy is something their studies just love to do, but reputable independent studies differentiate.
Fans eagerly distributing stuff online and nerding out over it together is entirely different from a guy running a bootleg booth 30 feet from the store trying to make legit sales.
The sole exception is always material directly funded by industry groups like the RIAA/etc.
Please note that the conflating the kind organized *counterfeiting* with piracy is something their studies just love to do, but reputable independent studies differentiate.
Fans eagerly distributing stuff online and nerding out over it together is entirely different from a guy running a bootleg booth 30 feet from the store trying to make legit sales.