The music Industry has changed drastically over the years with digital media. Years ago music was stored on CD’s that you would only find at a electronic store, then music transitioned over to mp3 players; that allowed customers to purchase music electronically and download the content onto their devices. Which change the way customers travelled, exercise and relax in their own personal space. It provided portability and made music available on the go with out being stuck behind computer or steering wheel. Also the music industry was very unfair with several laws and procedures which made it very difficult for singers and song writers, to make any decisions pertaining to their work, and its worth.  Presently streaming music is the new “thing” when it comes to digital media and music. From any smart phone are applications such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal that allows consumer to subscribe monthly to an application with full access to millions of songs. Streaming allows a person to have unlimited storage when it comes to saving songs, it is accessible anywhere that allows the customers to connect to Wi-Fi or 4G LTE network, its more affordable starting from $5 to $10 a month with unlimited access to almost every song ever made vs buying albums which can $15 each. The one disadvantage to streaming is you never own the music, however one can still pay and download selected song from it’s playlist.

With these new streaming services artist are pushing the envelope to change the way they make their work available to the consumers. They are demanding a new way of Licensing rules, Song-writers and singers don’t have much say on how they get paid from these streaming servicing companies. Which led to the recent business deal that the famous rapper Jay Z bought Tidal, a streaming company and partnering up with several top artist currently with  hopes to shift the industry.

How has the Music industry changed with digital media? What is the content delivery system like?

tthe music industry has changed with digital media in many ways and in no way at all. I’ll explain. Back in the day, music labels would give artists small advances in comparison to today but would sign them for years and also make em sign a 2+ album deal. Now, music labels will sign an artist, with a large advance, and put all their resources into one song if you’re lucky, one album. What digital media has done is allowed for consumers to pay 12 dollars a month to stream unlimited amounts of music instead of paying 9 dollars just for one album. Essentially, music streaming sites have become the modern day record labels, taking a piece of what that artist makes, paying them by how many streams instead of how many albums they sell. And you don’t need to be signed to a label to do so. Music streaming sites have realized that 1. People aren’t buying albums the way they used to because, quite frankly they don’t need to. And 2. They found a way to make money off of those consumers who aren’t going out there and buying albums. In the article written in the Chicago tribune it explains how songwriters aren’t making any money off of music streaming sites. “Avicii and Aloe Blacc’s hit song “Wake Me Up” had more than 168 million streams on Pandora since its release in 2013, its three songwriters were paid only $12,359.” And this is why I say it has changed but not changed at all really. The way the music is delivered has hanged but the unfairness to artists behind the scenes and the money being stolen from them is something that isn’t New in the music industry and the majority of the time the artist ends up losing a lot of it being their fault for agreeing and sometimes these artists are completely clueless as to what is going on.

I have worked in the music industry since I was 16 years old. In the three years since, I have seen the business change significantly more than I expected. Streaming is now fully embraced by the three major record labels (who still dominate the music industry by a landslide over independent labels and artists), who happen to receive a reported 75% of all streaming payouts. These payouts are about $.007 per stream. Let’s use Drake as an example. Every time you stream a Drake song, Spotify (still the largest music streaming service) has to pay less than one penny to the rights-holders of said Drake song–not Drake, though. Drake, being signed to a major label, likely earns 10-15% of $.007 of each stream. His producers and songwriters make around 15% and the label takes anywhere from 70-75%. Drake was the most streamed artist of 2015 with 1.8 billion streams–worth $12.8 million in payouts. All in all, Drake probably pocketed $1.5 million. Artists who aren’t as popular as Drake and are signed to labels typically do not make anything close to that.

This is the core of the issue with streaming and how it has shifted the music industry. The labels are doing fine. Not as well as they were doing in the 1990s, pre-Napster, when they were selling millions of CDs a week from new releases and various back catalogue–but the labels are making money. They are getting a large cut of every stream. They even get a cut of the $10/month premium subscription fees. But the artists are making less money than ever off of their music. Artists must become more and more business minded as streaming grows. Major artists are throwing tons of money into making their album releases more than just album releases, but events. Kanye premiered his album The Life of Pablo at his Season 3 fashion show at MSG, Beyonce has released two stunning full length visual albums (to not only accompany but elaborate upon her music), the list goes on and on. Up and coming artists, though, are finding new ways to spring into relevancy–through SoundCloud and Spoitfy playlist placements, synch licensing for commercials and television, increased collaborations and creating entire brands around their music and content.

The advice I can give to the music lovers reading this who care about the artists is please pay for a premium subscription on a streaming service if you’re not gonna buy albums, please buy your favorite albums (vinyl is back in for a reason- it sounds great and it’s cool to own a huge physical copy!), please buy tour tickets and merch from your favorite artists and share your favorite music with your friends. You never know what a song may do for someone else.

I agree with both articles because Libraries and books are not what they use to be. I remember when i was in elementary it was mandatory having a library card for the purpose of getting good grades in class. Now a days thanks to technology  we do not need one. Now a days libraries are a thing of the past, even though you might a couple around people do not visit them as often as before, i cant even remember when was the last time i visited one. after tablets and phones became more personal people have bought rented the books through these devices because is more convenient and you can read it when ever or where ever you want. When i think of technology and books i think of it as a general topic, what i mean is thanks to technology again books are being brought to live action films such as Twilight, 50 shades of grey and many more, Some people including myself do not feel the need of reading the books if it has a film.SO i think in 20 years books wont exist whether is for school or entertainment they are also adapting with the advancement of technology just like we are. This advancement and adaptation is not good for publishers and authors because they are the most affected.