Sony Music Entertainment and the Evolution of the Music Industry

Every music artist begins somewhere. Every artist had to do something to get their music out there. No one just automatically becomes famous. Then everyone wants to listen to your music. You start out new and anonymous and become more popular over time. Artist become famous by advertising. Every music artist should be able to advertise.

The music industry is made of companies which produce and sell music. The music industry as we know it was solidified in the mid-twentieth century, where records succeeded sheet music as the primary product in the music business. Record companies were established, but did not last very long until the late 1980s when the “Big Six”, a group of multinational corporations consisting of Sony, MCA, WEA, Polygram, EMI, and BMG controlled most of the market. Initially there were five corporations (CBS and RCA (both now belonging to Sony), WEA, EMI, and Polygram) that had emerged in 1978 to own 60 per cent of the market. (Wallis and Malm, 1984, p. 81)

Over the years, musicians have allowed their music to be used in advertisements for various businesses. However, doesn’t the artist’s creativity in their music fade away after it has been used in various commercials? Most importantly, advertisements may change the lyrics to a song to relate to the product, so the business would benefit more and take the focus away from what really matters, the music.

The current music industry is a hard business for all musicians, whether they are a new artist or even a popular radio artist. Modern times have radically changed the way that musicians now make money. Past musicians used to be able to make a living simply by selling their music and playing a few major concerts to survive and even lives some luxurious lives and not really have to focus on anything except the art that they were creating. The music industry has transformed from being an art to becoming a challenging business job for anyone involved. Today, most musicians have to also be able to handle managerial business to get anywhere and make money or find someone to help them. Current musicians need to do more than just sell music

In the twenty-first century, we have an abundant variety of music genres, old and new. Music has a versatile role in modern society. Music serves just as many purposes as it possesses in genres. For listeners, music is not simply an escape or form of entertainment; it is a source of inspiration and self-expression. Sometimes, this can be problematic and lead to false identities and music miscegenation. The music industry has had a powerful influence on what listeners consume. In this process, traditional black music genres have crossed over to the mainstream. This has been problematic in that it gives listeners the sense that the music industry is fully integrated. In reality, the white dominated music industry and labels are still using

In this article, Peterson and Berger show how the organization of the popular music industry affects the music that America hears.

No one can deny that technology is actively changing the music industry. Production, distribution and sales of music have been affected dramatically within the last 10 years along with artists, composers, and technicians. Most of the changes have been great for consumers, but vastly negative for professionals in the music industry, however a few artists have found ways to adapt to the changing atmosphere of digitally downloaded music and use it to their advantage. We’ve seen music change form from physical, tangible products like records and CD’s to electronic single tracks stored in an invisible cloud. Two major factors in this sudden revolution are online music stores (specifically iTunes) and file sharing websites that allow music to be downloaded illegally.

Another strong point is their management and corporate governance. On top of everything we find Elon Musk who is renewed around the world for its genius and entrepreneurship. Musk leads a team of the best minds in the field. Employees believe in the company and higher management personnel gets stocks.

When musicians produce albums, they want people to listen to the albums. There is not one specific way for a band or single musician to gain an audience and promote their music. Musicians use many different kinds of media to promote their music. They use visual media as well as strictly listening media. The radio, television, and the internet are all different types of media musicians use to promote their music.

“Since you are all songwriters for the band, a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing would be crucial,” stated Sonya, “we make sure that you, the songwriter/copyright holder, receives the money that you deserve. Now I know that you have a lot of music on the internet, but I just want to double-check that it is all properly copyrighted.” “Yes, we email ourselves every file and we are planning on going to the Copyright Office soon.” “That’s great to hear! Now let’s talk about your choices for deals. The first deal is a Songwriting Deal, this is intended for songwriter’s who are just starting out. You must record and/or release a certain number of songs in your term. You will also get an advance of royalties or a weekly stipend. The ownership will go to the publisher for all of the compositions that are delivered throughout your term because we will give you creative advice and also team you up with some of our expert songwriters. There will also be a 50/50 split on your royalties for the lifetime of the song,” Sonya announced, “The next deal gives you a little bit more freedom as a songwriter. It is known as the Co-Publishing Deal. This also includes a term, delivery requirement and advances against royalties. The main difference between this deal and the previous one is the fact that the ownership is split. Since the songwriter would own the copyright, they will take some of the publisher’s share. So instead of the split being 50/50, it would be

Nowadays, teenagers are living constantly surrounded by technology. Even if the younger generation may not see it, technology has had an impact on different factors. The widespread use of digital technology in the music industry has allowed consumers to reproduce digital versions of copyrighted songs inexpensively, with the help of many software and websites. There has been an increase in digital copying activities and those are most of the time claimed responsible for producers’ loss in revenues. While some people claim that the increase of digital technology has killed the music industry, in fact it has lead to innovation and new ways of consuming and sharing music, such as

One can only speculate the future of the music industry. As aforementioned, the music industry is in constant flux, changing shape and adapting to new

In the midst of the United States’ “dot com bubble” (years 1997-2000), there was a surge in technology that brought about file sharing and digital downloads. Threatening the survival of the music industry and introducing a unique set of challenges for the industry to overcome. To remain relevant in the new global market of digital music online, the music industry would have to evolve and change with the introduction of each new facet technology had to offer. The introduction of digitally compressed music files, so easily attainable for a small fee or downloaded legally (pirated) for free, made the music industry reevaluate how to make a profit and protect copyrights. Social media created a visible opportunity for both consumers and artists to maintain digital relationships while providing a platform for consumers to follow and discover new musicians and bands, naturally, making the internet a promotional medium for artists. As the corner record shops closed to make way for virtual storefronts and instant downloads; the internet, digital downloading, and social media made an enormous impact on the music industry that has changed the way consumers purchase, source, listen to, and produce music today.

The creation of musical works has always been culminated by several different processes and usually involves many people. The process takes a lot of time delaying the release of music. Advancement in technology has played a significant role in the music production by lowering the length of time it takes to produce recorded material. Artists usually sign a contract with a recording company that markets their music products. The internet and low-cost recording technologies have created a “do-it-yourself” music movement. New artists have gained worldwide recognition without landing a recording contract with a major record label.

The evolution of the music industry follows the familiar pattern of digitization. Innovation began with the introduction of the vinyl record, transitioned from the cassette tape to the compact disc and landed us in an era of digital downloads. The emergence of music streaming services like Spotify has progressed the industry even further, giving consumers the ability to access music on demand using download-free online platforms. Spotify faces criticism from artists as a result of the overlap of creativity and commerce. They argue that business activities corrupt creativity, transforming it into a tool for profitability rather than an outlet for expression. Artists insist that Spotify deters album sales, favors established artists and fails to support them financially. However, Spotify was created for consumers. It delivers an accessible alternative to purchasing and downloading music. The interplay between creativity and commerce is changing the nature of the music industry. Spotify has adapted to this change, providing a platform that supports both artists and consumers. Through analysis of the market, artist’s revenue, record labels and consumers, I will argue that artists should accept the evolution of the industry and support Spotify.