Technology & The Music Industry

How has technology affected the industry?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL0PHgIb7Zg

• What issues arise from this short documentary?

Key term: Technological Convergence

• Coming together of 2 or more technologies

• Iphone & Ipod Touch

• Consume music anywhere, have entire music collection in your pocket

• Impacted. on institutions and audiences

Production of Music

• At the level of production music can be generated using a standard networked computer.

• How can this benefit unsigned acts?

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15461567

Distribution - how albums get into shops

• Distribution companies sign deals with record labels (or very rarely, directly with artists) that gives them the right to sell that label's products to record stores that have an account with that distributor. The distributor takes a cut of income from each album sold and then pays the label the remaining balance.

• Traditionally distribution of music used forms such as the import > export model (majors who want to reach an international audience)

• Increasingly the global reach of the internet is becoming the focus for multimedia distributors - as well as advertisers.

• Can you think of any examples?

Consumption

• Converging technologies and the internet are transforming consumer experience.

• Can you provide some examples of how?

Emergence of Web 2.0

• Web 1.0 was about info being pushed onto us - it was mostly a space for browsing and reading.

• As technology has advanced web 2.0 allows us to read, post and publish content without the need for specialist software.

• This has positives and negatives for the music industry.

• What are your initial thoughts?

Positives

• Unsigned acts - produce and distribute their own music without a label using MySpace Music

• Indie Labels - Can operate solely online (production & Distribution) keeping costs low hence they can focus more on the actual music - taking more risk

• Majors - Can source bands who already have an established fanbase

• Advertise online - using info on individuals profiles to target them with music they’re seemingly interested in.

• Wider audience can be reached

• Synergetic links with other companies e.g. Xfactor and songs can be instantly downloaded from Itunes.

Creativity

• How can digital and technological convergence harness individual creativity with regards to music?

• Think about YouTube…

• Mash Ups - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRHfd9Yto0A

• Music Videos - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRV9tQCe4gY

• Fan Videos – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nET4oTA2kU

Negatives

• P2P sites such as Napster which emerged in 1999

• Hits major companies in their core markets (western world) as previous pirate music came from the middle east as black market CD’s.

• Impact on revenue streams

• Weakened the divide between producers and consumers and forced a transformation in the circulation of media products

Apple

• Apple then benefit as majors have to buy into Itunes to accommodate the changing needs of consumers, something they were reluctant to do

• Consumers now have greater flexibility and choice over their music

The Longtail

• Greater choice and flexibility over your music is what Chris Anderson Refers to as The Longtail

• Web 2.0 creating endless demand for almost anything and everything

• A mass of products sourced from all kinds of producers and distributors from sites such as ebay and amazon alongside conducting a google search.

Critics - for

• Talking about the benefit of technological and digital convergence

• “It gives them control of the journey, the timing of the journey, and the space they are moving through. It’s a generalization, but the main use of the iPod is control. People like to be in control. They are controlling their space, their time, and their interaction… and they’re having a good time. That can’t be understated -- it gives them a lot of pleasure.” (Bull in Kahney 2005)

Critics - against

• Arguing it’s not about the music but the artefact • “With vinyl, the aesthetic was in the cover of the record. You had the sleeve, the artwork, the liner notes. With the rise of digital, the aesthetic has left the object – the record sleeve – and now the aesthetic is in the artefact: the iPod, not the music.”(Bull in Levin 2004)

What do you think?

• In Pairs create an argument that outlines the benefits and limitations of technological and digital convergence on both institutions and audiences.

• Feed your ideas to another pair.