Key Changes
The Ten Times Technology Transformed the Music Industry
Published on 6. November 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
504 pages
978-0-19-765690-7 (ISBN)
Description
Tells a new story about the history of the music business and the ten technological advances that disrupted it over the last century.
In recent years, narratives about the music industry tend to hew to a common theme: it was humming along for decades until the Internet and Napster came along and disrupted it. Key Changes shows that this view is incorrect: the industry was actually shaken up not once in the 1990s, but ten times over more than 100 years. These ten disruptions came with the introduction of new formats for enjoying recorded music: starting with the cylinders and discs played on early phonographs; then moving through radio, LPs, tapes, CDs, television, digital downloads, streaming, and streaming video; and then into Artificial Intelligence (AI), which enables a wide range of new capabilities with profound impacts upon the business. This book devotes a chapter to each of these formats, illustrating how such innovations beget shifts in creativity, consumer behavior, economics, and law.
Each of the technological innovations covered in this book not only disrupted the music business, but also fundamentally altered the industry's character. And while the technologies themselves have evolved in unique and varied ways over the decades, the changes within the business follow a clear pattern. Veteran music industry professionals and music technology experts Howie Singer and Bill Rosenblatt illuminate this pattern through a framework they term "the 6 Cs": cutting edge technology, channels of distribution, creators, consumers, cash, copyright. This framework provides insight into how such disparate innovations similarly disrupted and transformed the music business in each era. Extensively researched and supplemented by interviews with Grammy-winning artists, producers and executives, the book provides an insightful perspective on the ways technology has fundamentally altered the music industry, throughout history and into the present era.
In recent years, narratives about the music industry tend to hew to a common theme: it was humming along for decades until the Internet and Napster came along and disrupted it. Key Changes shows that this view is incorrect: the industry was actually shaken up not once in the 1990s, but ten times over more than 100 years. These ten disruptions came with the introduction of new formats for enjoying recorded music: starting with the cylinders and discs played on early phonographs; then moving through radio, LPs, tapes, CDs, television, digital downloads, streaming, and streaming video; and then into Artificial Intelligence (AI), which enables a wide range of new capabilities with profound impacts upon the business. This book devotes a chapter to each of these formats, illustrating how such innovations beget shifts in creativity, consumer behavior, economics, and law.
Each of the technological innovations covered in this book not only disrupted the music business, but also fundamentally altered the industry's character. And while the technologies themselves have evolved in unique and varied ways over the decades, the changes within the business follow a clear pattern. Veteran music industry professionals and music technology experts Howie Singer and Bill Rosenblatt illuminate this pattern through a framework they term "the 6 Cs": cutting edge technology, channels of distribution, creators, consumers, cash, copyright. This framework provides insight into how such disparate innovations similarly disrupted and transformed the music business in each era. Extensively researched and supplemented by interviews with Grammy-winning artists, producers and executives, the book provides an insightful perspective on the ways technology has fundamentally altered the music industry, throughout history and into the present era.
Reviews / Votes
They've actually done it. Singer and Rosenblatt have written an indispensable new resource for anyone teaching, learning or just curious how the music industry evolved. Utterly comprehensive, meticulously researched and completely accessible, this is a book for fans, budding executives and experienced practitioners as well as historians, educators and policy experts. * Larry Miller, Clinical Professor and Director of NYU Music Business Program * The music industry has been and will forever be on the forefront of technological change. Key Changes gives a comprehensive, thoughtful and engaging account of the technologies that have been fundamental in defining music and sets the foundations for what comes next. * Oana Ruxandra, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Warner Music Group * Music matters because it got there first. It was the first to suffer, first to recover from disruption. In this rhythmically engaging book, Rosenblatt and Singer hold your hand and dance you through where each 'key change' took us along the way. * Will Page, Author of Tarzan Economics, fellow of London School of Economics and Former Chief Economist of Spotify and PRS for Music * This book is essential reading for those looking to thrive in the ever-evolving music industry. Here we have a clear and concise roadmap for understanding how artists, technology and business are shaping the next reinvention of music. * Frances Moore, CEO, International Federation of the Phonographic Industry * A great read. What a pleasure to have the history of recorded music laid out so clearly and succinctly. * Albhy Galuten, Technology executive, Grammy Award-winning record producer, composer, musician, orchestrator, and conductor. * Key Changes is particularly valuable in tracking recent economic developments, where the authors undoubtedly do have expertise. * Andy Hamilton, The Wire * In Key Changes, the authors provide unique insights into the ways technology has transformed music recording, performance, and historical narratives, making it a valuable read for music enthusiasts and scholars alike. * Aaron J. West, Notes *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
50 figures
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 31 mm
Weight
712 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-765690-7 (9780197656907)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
11/2023
Oxford University Press Inc
€106.47
Shipment within 15-20 days
E-Book
09/2023
OUP eBook
€22.49
Available for download
E-Book
09/2023
OUP eBook
€22.49
Available for download
Persons
Howie Singer is an expert on music industry technologies who played a leading role in the transition to digital music delivery. At Warner Music Group, he served as SVP and Chief Strategic Technologist analyzing new business models and services. Since 2018, he has taught a graduate class on "Data Analysis in the Music Industry" at NYU. Howie spent the first part of his career at Bell Labs and AT&T where he co-founded a2b music, an early digital music start-up.
Bill Rosenblatt is a leading independent expert on technologies related to copyright in the digital age. As President of GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies, the firm he founded in 2000, he has consulted to leading media and technology companies as well as public policy entities worldwide; and he has served as an expert witness in intellectual property litigations on these subjects. Bill teaches Data Analysis in the Music Industry in the Music Business program at NYU.
Bill Rosenblatt is a leading independent expert on technologies related to copyright in the digital age. As President of GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies, the firm he founded in 2000, he has consulted to leading media and technology companies as well as public policy entities worldwide; and he has served as an expert witness in intellectual property litigations on these subjects. Bill teaches Data Analysis in the Music Industry in the Music Business program at NYU.
Content
1. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Jerry Lee Lewis) -- Introduction
2. You Spin Me Round [Like a Record] (Dead or Alive) -- Phonograph
3. I Can't Live Without My Radio (LLCool J) -- Radio
4. Spin the Black Circle (Pearl Jam) -- Vinyl LPs and 45s
5. Rhymin' and Stealin' (The Beastie Boys) -- 8-Track & Cassette Tapes
6. Television Rules the Nation (Daft Punk) -- Television & Music
7. Zero-Sum (Nine Inch Nails) -- The Compact Disc
8. Don't Download This Song ("Weird Al" Yankovic) -- Downloads
9. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel) -- Streaming
10. Throw Away Your Television (Red Hot Chili Peppers) -- Streaming Video
11. You Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth (Meatloaf) -- Voice Interfaces & Artificial Intelligence
12. Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper) DL Coda
13. Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers) -- Afterword: Blockchain Technologies
Index
2. You Spin Me Round [Like a Record] (Dead or Alive) -- Phonograph
3. I Can't Live Without My Radio (LLCool J) -- Radio
4. Spin the Black Circle (Pearl Jam) -- Vinyl LPs and 45s
5. Rhymin' and Stealin' (The Beastie Boys) -- 8-Track & Cassette Tapes
6. Television Rules the Nation (Daft Punk) -- Television & Music
7. Zero-Sum (Nine Inch Nails) -- The Compact Disc
8. Don't Download This Song ("Weird Al" Yankovic) -- Downloads
9. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel) -- Streaming
10. Throw Away Your Television (Red Hot Chili Peppers) -- Streaming Video
11. You Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth (Meatloaf) -- Voice Interfaces & Artificial Intelligence
12. Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper) DL Coda
13. Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers) -- Afterword: Blockchain Technologies
Index