I imagined a complete jack ass at the helm,
     and I am surprised to see something different.

Don't let the show put by him distract you. Of course he's competent. These things are never pulled off by incompetents.

     I still don't see an argument for pirating music

I still don't see an argument for punishing people for pirating music. Sharing is in our genes, just as sex. Preferring free stuff is also in our genes. Wanting convenience is also in our genes.

The model of selling tapes or CDs was based on scarcity. Now that scarcity is gone, because with a few clicks and key-presses you can find anything.

And really, punishing users for pirating content is just like punishing them for having sex.