The document discusses how technology has affected the music industry in several ways: 1) Improved technology has enabled individuals to produce and distribute their own music without relying on major record labels, which has resulted in lost revenues for labels like Sony and Warner Brothers. 2) The rise of file sharing and streaming sites like YouTube, Pirate Bay, and Isohunt has created a new market for sharing music online but has also led to a decline in physical music sales. 3) Technology has made it easier to create and distribute music, meaning musical talent is no longer as important as it once was to becoming a renowned musician.

1. HOW HAS TECHNOLOGY
AFFECTED THE MUSIC
INDUSTRY?
JOSH AND FAITH

2. DIY
 Improved technology enables people to access
computer programs and file sharing sites at home,
meaning they would be less reliant on record labels to
produce and distribute their own music. Examples
include bands such as Houdouken, Enter Shakari and
Dub FX and record labels like Sony, Universal, Warner
Brothers and BMI (The Big Four) are losing out on
money.

3. CONSUMPTION THROUGH
THE INTERNET
 Web 2.0 has created a completely new market for sharing
and distributing music, consisting of programs like Youtube
converter, Iso-Hunt, Pirate Bay e.t.c. The ‘Youth and Music
Survey 2009’ – 70% of people didn’t feel guilty about
downloading even though physical sales of music is
dropping by 7% a year and reasons for this include it being
too expensive. Independent labels like Soul Jazz see music
as more of an art, with their merchandise including vinyls,
however, the mainstream labels view music as more of a
commodity, making the public lose their respect and passion
for it which would lead them to not want to waste their
money.

4. EVOLUTION OF MUSIC
 Music is more accessible and you don’t have to be
extremely talented to be a renowned musician like you
would have done 40 or 50 years ago; anyone can
make music now because the internet has evolved.
The way you consume music has also made it easier to
listen to because in the past, file sharing happened
through the boom box and the cassette was beneficial
in contrast to now where music is easily uploaded to
file sharing websites to a larger audience.

5. NEW CONVERGENCE
TECHNOLOGY
 Convergence means the coming together of two or
more things or products to do more than one thing.
Platforms such as PlayStation and games such as
JustDance, or film soundtracks/TV adverts have
enabled music to become an everyday thing. Because
it is more of a commodity, it has lost its status and
worth that it would have held 40 or 50 years ago.

6. APPLE
 Companies such as Apple are a huge part of the music
industry because of this convergence and have worked
their way into the industry, from specializing in
computers and devices to enabling music to be
accessible on these devices with the introduction of
iTunes. This meant that Apple was made into a
distributor of both electronics and music through
vertical integration, which could compete with The Big
Four.

7. SOUL JAZZ
 This independent label has a more niche market
because it appeals to an audience that appreciates the
art and soul of music. They sell physical merchandise
such as vinyl, retro art and t-shirts which would deter
their market from illegally downloading. They however
do offer a legal way to download music on digital
devices such as iPod’s and computers to make their
music more accessible.