Rethinking the Music Industry
Martin Cloonan, University of Glasgow
John Williamson, QMUC, Edinburgh
Rethinking the Music Industry
The music industry does not exist Equating the music industry with the
recording industry - a case study 5 reasons to change A more holistic account Conclusion / ways forward
The music industry does not exist
Lack of homogeneity / breadth of music-related industries
Problems of definition ‘it is arguable whether it is more
accurate to talk of several music industries, rather than a single industry’ (British Invisibles 1995: 6 )
The music industry does not exist
Sectors identified in “the music industry” British Invisibles : 5 National Music Council: 7 Williamson et al : 8 Welsh Music Foundation : 14
‘there is a lack of consensus as to precisely what types of businesses are representative of the “music industry:”’ (Wilson et al 2001: 94)
Equating the recording industry with the music industry
The media, industries’ organisations & academics:
Media: ‘the British music industry is to sue 28 internet users it says are illegally swapping music online’ (BBC 2004)
Industries’ organisations: Five Reasons to Support British Music (BPI)
Equating the recording industry with the music industry
Academics - Adorno = starting point for the over-privileging of recording sector
Popular Music Studies - accounts initially recognised complexity (Hirsch, Chapple / Garolfalo, Frith), then centred on recording (Longhurst, Negus, Shuker) and back again?
Gowers
Record Companies: ‘The record company owns the copyright in
the artist’s recordings for the full period of copyright, which lasts for fifty years from the first release’ (MMF 2003: 98)
Collecting Societies: Term extension necessary ‘to give a fair
reward to record companies and performers’ (PPL 2006: 1)
Gowers BUT qualified support from other sectors
(managers, small labels, etc) No evidence from individual record
companies and live music sector OUTCOMES:
Attacks on Gowers / FT advert Academics don’t understand Factionalism within industries More lobbying
From the music industry to the music related industries - 5 reasons
Understanding - Peterson: Why 1955 ? Geography / Scottish perspective Diversity and inequality Conflict Policy - DCMS describes its role as ‘sponsor’
of “the music industry.” Live Music Forum? “The music industry” should ‘try to give the
government one point of contact’ (Estelle Morris, April 2004)
A More Holistic Picture - the music-related industries
Changes in the recording sector post 1999: Napster / large scale file sharing Declining sales Demographics Production & distribution Technology Contractual / organisational arrangements
Decline in relative importance of recording sector
A More Holistic Picture - the music-related industries New ownership models: Warners, Sanctuary, EMI
next ? Other changes:
Older market Delivery mechanisms Structural changes Managing rights Blurring of roles Live music
A more holistic picture
A successful music business ‘need not actually produce music’ (Power and Jansson 2004: 426)