The music industry is concerned that the new system could allow online pirates to buy new domain names that help make their websites look more legitimate — encouraging more copyright infringement of digital music.

One of the main concerns is that music pirates could register Internet addresses under the domain .music to make it appear to Web surfers that the music on its site is legal and licensed by recording companies.

“Because these generic top-level domains are so specialized, people may think, ‘This is where I go if I want music,’” said Steven Marks, general counsel for the Recording Industry Association of America. “Therefore, we have the same kind of [copyright infringement] problem we have today.”

The change in the Web’s domain name system is monumental because it allows businesses, nonprofits and organizations to apply for nearly any domain name they like. ICANN will begin accepting applications for new domain names between January and April of next year. It will cost $185,000 to create a new top-level domain, and all applicants will be subject to in-depth background checks by ICANN.

It’s unclear how much of a problem music pirates applying for domain names might pose when the application process gets under way. While there’s a possibility that the new system carries a risk of copyright infringement, it also presents an opportunity to create a safe home for digital music on the Web under the .music domain name.

“These guys like the RIAA spend their entire lives combating illegal downloading sites. Any opportunity for people to come up with a new backdoor for launching these sites and services obviously is a problem for them,” said Ben Crawford, chief executive officer of CentralNic, which facilitates and manages domain name acquisition for companies. “I actually think the opportunity to create a safe zone is greater than the risk of proliferating zones of piracy.”

The recording industry also sees opportunity in the new domain name system.