Institutional Research

1. INSTITUTIONAL
RESEARCH
A B I B A X T E R

2. TIMELINE OF MUSIC VIDEOS
• Institution: an established, often profit-based company organisation that produce and
distribute media products to an audience
Bessie Smith’s
‘St. Louis Blues’
is an early
example of a
music video
made in 1929. It
was shown in
theatres in 1932.
1929 1930’s
• In the 1930’s
‘Screen songs’
were
introduced
• ‘Screen songs’
were a series
of animated
cartoons
which
encouraged
audiences to
sing along by
following a
‘bouncing
ball’
1940’s
• Arrival of
promotional
clips which
were short
clips of jazz
bands/artists
on a movie-set
bandstand
1956
• Release of
‘Stranger in
Paradise’ which
was filmed in
Hyde Park,
London
• Played across US
and UK television
• First example of
using music
videos on TV –
this led to the
creation of
channels such as
MTV
1964
• Release of ‘A
Hard days
Night’ by the
Beatles which
influenced the
filming of
many further
music videos
1970’s
• Changes in the
music video –
more
emphasis was
placed on the
artist singing
• This led music
videos to the
cross cutting
stage where
there was a
link between
both the lyrics
and the
visuals but
also the music
and the
visuals
1980’s
• MTV channel
officially
launched
• Release of
Michael
Jackson’s
‘Thriller’
which was
very
successful
and
influential
• VH1 channel
launched
• Growth in
the Hip-Hop
genre due to
MTV’s ‘Yo!
MTV Raps’
program
Release of
Michael
Jackson’s
‘Scream’
which was
the most
expensive
music
video –
costing
over
7million to
produce
1990’s 2005
• Arrival of
iTunes –
made it
possible for
audiences to
download
songs from
the internet
• Arrival of
YouTube –
allows
audience to
watch and
listen to
music videos
where and
whenever
they want
2010 and
onward
• Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker
Face’ was the first
music video to
reach one billion
views on YouTube
• Number of views
on YouTube hits
34 billion
• 2008 – Spotify
launched
• Most music videos
are narrative and
abstract
• Many music
videos now had
better quality
visuals due to
advancements in
technology

3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAJOR AND
INDEPENDENT RECORD LABELS
Major Record Labels Independent Record Labels
• A major record label is usually one that owns it’s own
distribution channel
• Mainstream record labels usually wholly or partially own
independent record labels
• A mainstream record label is defined as a multinational company
which has more than 5% of the world market(s) for the sale of
records or music videos
• The ‘Big 3’ are currently Sony, Warner and Universal music
group
• In comparison, signing to a major record label means that the
artist(s) lose the rights to their music
• Most independent record labels rely to some extent on
international licensing deals, distribution agreements and other
agreements with major record labels
• Most independent labels are started by major record label artists
• Independent record labels tend to work with other small
companies, either in long term partnerships or in relationships for
distribution and publishing
• When artists sign to an independent record label, they have the
rights to their music and close personal relationships within the
record label
• An independent record label is one that operates without the
funding of major record labels also know as the ‘Big 3’
• An example is Boy Better Know
• Founded in 2005 by Jme and Skepta
• Produces and distributes Grime music
• Signed artists include: Drake, Solo 45 and Wiley
• A major record label is a record label that operates inside of
the Big 3, like Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music
Group and Universal Music Group
• An example is Sony Music Entertainment
• Subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc.
• Founded in 1929 when it was known as ‘Amercian Record
Corportation’
• Produces various types of music and signs a large variety of
artists like Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Chris Brown, SZA etc.

4. WHAT HAS THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY HAD
ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
ADVANTAGES DISADVANATGES
MAINSTREAM
• Mainstream record labels have the
money to work with many platform
• They also have enough money to
saturate the marker
• There isn’t as much money from streaming – artists
don’t get a large amount of money from streaming
and downloads
INDEPENDEN
• Independent record labels can get
their music out there by using the
different platforms
• Streaming sites like Spotify allow
independent music making
companies to get exposure and
spotlight for their products
• The radio will only play songs from mainstream record
labels which is a disadvantage for independent record
labels as they will not benefit from profit due to
their songs played on the radio
YouTube – founded in 2005
Impact on the audience
• Audience get free and convenient access
to a range of music worldwide
• Provides the audience with a wide choice
of how to use and enage with the app for
example: use through a mobile phone, ipad,
computer, TV etc.
Impact upon Major Record Labels
• YouTube allows Major record labels to
create channels for the artists they have
signed which means the audience can
subscribe and follow the artist but also
upload other content that the audience will
be interested
• By putting their content on YouTube,
major record companies make profit from
Google and YouTube by giving them
permission to show their content
Impact upon Independent Record Labels
• YouTube provides platform that is cheap
and convenient for independent record
labels that have smaller budgets – good way
of allowing independent record labels to get
their music out there
• YouTube recommendations can help
artists signed by independent record labels
to gain fans by recommending their music
Spotify – launched in 2008
Impact on the audience
• Spotify is a podcast, music and video streaming service that provides
• Much like YouTube, allows audiences to listen to music and access content whenever they want
Impact upon Major Record Labels
• Through Spotify, Major Record Labels can reach a larger audience for their signed artists, increasing profit and fan base
• Although it is only a small percentage, Major Record Labels can gain revenue from Spotify by allowing their music to be on
the app
Digital Downloads
• Songs can also be downloaded or
purchased through apps such as iTunes
and YouTube
• In the case of downloading music from
iTunes, the artists and record labels
benefit because they get profit
• However, in the case of downloading
from YouTube, since it can be done
illegally and easily through websites like
YouTube converter, this gives rise to the
issue of piracy which doesn’t benefit the
artist

5. HOW IS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
REGULATED?
CensorshipCopyright
• Copyright refers to the legal rights given to the creator of a
piece of work to prevent it from being copied or used by
someone else without the creator’s knowledge
• Copyright lasts for 70 years after the life of the original creator
• There are two types of music copyright:
1. The traditional ‘C’ in a circle applies to the lyrics, musical score
and composition as well as any artwork that belong to the
album or song
2. Applies to the sound recording itself and is signified by a ‘P’ in
a circle
• How to avoid copyright: if you are using the work of someone
else, you must ask them for permission before using it
Right of the copyright owner
1. Reproduce the work – they are able to make copies of the
song
2. Distribute copies of the work – right to distribute and sell
copies to the audience
3. Perform works publicly – owner of the song controls the
rights to have their song performed publicly
• Censorship refers to the control of the information and ideas
circulated in society – the suppression of speech, public
communication or other information that may be considered
harmful, sensitive, politically incorrect as determined by
governments, media outlets, authorities or other groups or
institutions
• The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has adopted the RIAA’s
Parental Advisory label programme in the United Kingdom
• A few examples of Censorship used in the Music Industry:
1. The 1977 single ‘God Save The Queen’ by The Sex Pistols was
banned by the BBC as it was critical of the British Government
and monarchy and was released during the year of Queen
Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee
2. In 2013, ‘Ding-Dong The Witch is Dead’ from the Wizard of Oz
reached number 2 on the UK singles chart after the death of
Margaret Thatcher as the result of a social media campaign
celebrating the death of the Prime Minister. BBC Radio 1 did
not play the full song, however they did play a snippet
accompanied by a news report about the song
• Songs in particular are censored in different ways. For example,
swear words may be bleeped out or completely removed. When
songs have large parts that contain swear words or inappropriate
meanings, you might notice that when played on the radio, the
song will be shorter in length, this is because a large chunk has
been edited out/removed
• YouTube contains content that is age restricted so users have to
sign in to prove their age
• On many TV shows, a pin has to be entered if the show is

6. SYNERGY AND CONVERGENCE IN THE
MUSIC INDUSTRY
ConvergenceSynergy
• Synergy refers to a collaboration between two media areas in
which one area helps to promote the other
• In the music industry, a music video may be used to promote
both areas
• A good example of synergy in the music industry is the music
video for ‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever’ by Zayn Malik and Taylor
Swift for the soundtrack of the 2017 film ‘Fifty Shades Darker’.
The song was originally released by both Zayn and Taylor
through their YouTube accounts and was later released through
the official fifty shades VEVO account. The music video was
released before the film in an attempt to promote the film and
create hype around it before it was actually released. The music
video was successful in promoting the film as it got 392 million
views. The music video didn’t just promote the film, it also
promoted the soundtrack as Taylor and Zayn both shared the
link to the soundtrack in the description of the video.
• The music video creates hype around the artists that made the
song and featured in the music video
• A good music video means that people who wouldn’t normally
watch the film, want to watch it which increases the success and
profit of both the film and the song
• The music video for ‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever’ was released
through YouTube which associated the film with the song which
increased publicity for the film and had a big impact upon it’s
success
• Convergence is when two companies or products merge or
work together to perform a similar task
• Technological convergence is the coming together of two or
more platforms to perform the same job
• The most obvious example of technological convergence in the
music industry is probably the mobile phone which is a very
popular way of listening to music
• The most obvious example is the iPod which has enabled
audiences to listen to music in a way that is more convenient
for them
• Once people have bought a mobile phone, they will need to
use apps like iTunes, YouTube and Spotify to listen to and/or
download the music which increases profit for the mobile
phone company