Music – Free Like Water?
An exploration of online music for
independent music entrepreneurs
MediaCamp Nottingham
9th May 2009
Susi O’Neill

What?
An Academic Study for MA Media Enterprise answering
two key questions:
1) What are the opportunities and challenges facing
independent music practitioners, particularly ‘micro’
enterprises operating outside of the traditional music
industry, in embracing digital distribution and
communications?
2) What skills, business models, and strategies are
needed to succeed in the digital economy?

Music Industry 2000

Music Industry 2009

Interviews

Interviews

The changing role and values of the
music industry

The changing role and values of the
music industry

Early DIY Production

Online Music

Dominance of the MP3

Whatever happened to music shops?

Online Commerce for Real world
Places

Live Music and Merchandising
Provocation 5: Results: Summary:
“The future of the Totally agree 11% Agree: 63%,
music economy is in Partly agree 52% Disagree: 21%
live music, t-shirts Neither agree nor Other 16%
and merchandise disagree 11%
and that’s good for Partly disagree 13%
me.” Totally disagree 8%
I don’t know/care 5%

House Concerts

Teenage Music Fan

The effects of peer-to-peer digital
distribution
Provocation 2: Results:
“Music has become Totally agree 11%
devalued by bit-torrenting Partly agree 19%
(home taping is still killing Neither agree nor disagree
music).” 19%
Partly disagree 19%
Totally disagree 24%
I don’t know/care 8%

The changing values of copyright
Kutiman – Thru You

The changing values of copyright
Provocation 4: Results: Summary:
“Copyright is Totally agree 3% Agree: 22%
redundant. PRS is Partly agree 19% Disagree: 43%
the past, Creative Neither agree nor Other: 35%
Commons is the disagree 21%
future.” Partly disagree 17%
Totally disagree 25%
I don’t know/care
14%

Opportunities in digital marketing
and social media
Book Launch 2.0

Music Fans
SAVANTS
ENTHUSIASTS
CASUALS
LURKERS

Opportunities in digital marketing
and social media
Provocation 7: Results: Summary:
“With all these Totally agree 14% Agree: 49%
digital platforms, it’s Partly agree 35% Disagree, 32%
just too hard to Neither agree nor disagree Other 19%
reach enough fans 10%
to make it Partly disagree 19%
worthwhile. I want Totally disagree 13%
to play and write I don’t know/care 10%
music, not spend all
my time online.”

New business and value models

Music, Free Like Water?

Music, Free Like Water?
Provocation 9: Results: Summary:
“Music should be Totally agree 6% Agree 19%
free like water. We Partly agree 13% Disagree 47%
should pay for it as a Neither agree nor disagree Other 34%
service like TV or 31%
telecoms and listen Partly disagree 21%
to as much as we Totally disagree 26%
like. The writers and I don’t know/care 3%
musicians will all get
paid and we won’t
need music stores.”

The Long Tail

1,000 True Fans

Gatekeepers
Provocation 1: Results: Summary:
“The major label music Totally agree 10% Agree 50%
industry is just being Partly agree 40% Disagree 37%
replaced by another set Neither agree nor Other 13%
of digital media disagree 11%
gatekeepers owned by Partly disagree 29%
corporates like Last.fm Totally disagree 8%
and MySpace and I don’t know/care 3%
independents can’t
easily get past the
gate.”

Devaluation of Music?

Alternative Funding Models
Micro-patronage (tip-jar)
Fan investment
Pre-Financing

Alternative Funding Models

Business Skills
Provocation 9: Results: Summary:
“It’s up to me to build Totally agree 35% Agree 66%
up a relationship with Partly agree 31% Disagree 22%
my fans – blogs, web Neither agree nor Other 12%
videos and sites like disagree 8%
MySpace are great for Partly disagree
that. Why should 11%
someone buy music Totally disagree
from me unless I’ve 11%
made the effort to get I don’t know/care
them to value me?” 3%

Music Industry of the Future

How does this effect other media
(film, television, games)?

Thanks
Susi O’Neill:
Web: www.digitalconsultant.co.uk
Email: susi@digitalconsultant.co.uk
Twitter: susioneill