Mark Henderson answered
The internet has had both good and bad effects on the music industry. On the one hand, music is widely available to a larger amount of people, but on the other hand music piracy cheats artists of their income.
Positive effects of the internet on the music industry.
The expansion of the market is the most positive effect the internet has had on the industry. Prior to the internet, artists' main promotional vehicle was television and radio. The arrival of the internet has meant revenue potential for a record has been vastly increased.
Bands no longer have to rely on large record labels to market them, instead this can be done by uploading music on the internet for free. The first true internet band in the UK were the Arctic Monkeys. By streaming demos on their internet page they managed to build a following and were subsequently signed.
Bands no longer have to rely on large record labels to market them, instead this can be done by uploading music on the internet for free. The first true internet band in the UK were the Arctic Monkeys. By streaming demos on their internet page they managed to build a following and were subsequently signed.
- Market expansion.
- Unsigned bands can reach more people.
- Arctic Monkeys were the first "internet band".
The negative effects.
Piracy is the most problematic effect. Download sites have made artists' material free of charge to almost anyone across the globe. Measures have been taken to reduce the amount of piracy, but ultimately it is a war that cannot be won.
In future artists will have to rely on other methods of revenue as album and singles sales fall each year. In 2007 Radiohead released their seventh album "In Rainbows". The album was a free download, but you could make a donation if you wished. The band subsequently focused on money from playing live shows rather than album sales.
In future artists will have to rely on other methods of revenue as album and singles sales fall each year. In 2007 Radiohead released their seventh album "In Rainbows". The album was a free download, but you could make a donation if you wished. The band subsequently focused on money from playing live shows rather than album sales.
- Piracy reduces artist's income.
- Playing live can still earn artists a good wage.
- Album and single sales are no longer as important.
