Innehållsförteckning
Reference List:
Reflection:
Assessment:

Utdrag
Music is, no doubt, a huge part of our lives. A whole lot has changed in later years – as technology progressed, so did the way we listen to music.

Starting with recording songs on tapes and vinyl records, to later entering a digital era with CD’s and MP3-players, as formats and genres saw changes, the industry itself and its practices stayed relatively stagnant.

It wasn’t until the late 90’s to early 2000’s – when online peer-to-peer file-sharing networks became a very controversial subject, and it would leave a huge impact on business practice going forward. (Pastukhov, 2022)

Users could access and share all kinds of music from the comfort of their homes, burn it on a CD or put it on their MP3-players, without paying as much as a dime.

Napster was one of those services – and very popular with American youth at the time. Since mp3-files were lightweight, music became the most shared content on the platform quickly.

A lawsuit from RIAA was soon to follow, and while Napster shut down, this did little to stop the trend; the concept was already out in the open. (Pastukhov, 2022)

Revenues in the industry suffered, illegal music was not only free, but easier to obtain, and often times more flexible and convenient.

Even as legal paid alternatives like iTunes opened, the industry was unable to stop piracy. By 2008, the IFPI estimated that 95% of all digital music was downloaded illegally. (Pastukhov, 2019)

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Furthermore, another way the industry has changed is the ability to make music independently. While artists in the past had to rely on major record labels noticing them and signing contracts which may have limited their creative freedom, today it’s easier than ever to not only produce your own music, but to market, fund and release it as well.

With DAW software, also known as digital audio workstations being available to the masses, as well as online documentation on how to use them, people have the ability to create, record, and mix their own music in a larger scale than ever before.

The artists are also closer than ever to their audiences. With the help of social media, one is able to connect with, research, and market new releases to fans.

These artist-to-fan interactions has become more prevalent – and are in many ways more crucial than ever.