MARCH 05, 2009

Who "Killed" the Music Industry?

Justin Mitchell is a TuneCore customer support representative and liaison for TuneCore mixing and mastering services.

The music industry is changing rapidly, almost daily.  As both a musician and music consumer, these changes have affected me two fold.  It’s a scary and exciting time, like the California gold rush or the dotcom explosion in the 1990’s.

Personally, I think artists are more empowered today than ever before.  You can record an album at your house, and in a matter of weeks it can be sold on the largest digital retailers in the world.  That’s huge.  Social networking sites have allowed for direct access to fans, online blogs are replacing magazines and newspapers, and more and more can be accomplished using mobile devices.  So why, with all these great tools at our disposal, do we still hear so many doom and gloom stories about the end of music as we know it?

I came across an interesting article titled “How to Kill the Music Industry” by blogger Jens Roland.  It discusses major points on what has caused the demise of the “good ol” days of the major labels and the subsequent changes in the music industry.  Industry big wigs have blamed music piracy alone, but what other factors have caused this shift?

  Some highlights include:

1. New forms of technology have replacing vinyl and CD’s.  MP3’s don’t deteriorate over time like physical media so there is no need to repurchase an album like there was in the past.
2. International trade agreements have making it easier for consumers to purchase music anywhere and for a more uniform value.
3. Technological improvements in home computers, audio hardware and recording software making the recording process cheaper and easier.
4. Decreasing physical sales and increasing digital sales DESPITE illegal downloads.
5. Consumers now having more choices on what music they buy, how, and where they buy it.

As a music maker and buyer, it seems to me the ball is now in our court.  Advancements in technology have emancipated us from the control major labels had on both the artist and the consumer.  What did you think about the article?  Share your thoughts!