Technology and Music Industry

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Table of Contents

Introduction
How technology is killing recording industries
Piracy
Modern Labels
Technology and Success in the Music recording industry
Fighting Piracy
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

This paper explores the relationship that exists between the music industry and technology. The paper highlights the positive and negative impact of new technological developments on the recording industry. These developments have largely influenced the way music is produced and disseminated.

Over the years, technology growth especially in information sector has enabled easier sharing of music across the world on a variety of platforms. From the discussions in this paper, it is clear that both artists and end users have benefited from technological advancement. However, with increasing development in technology, artistes continue to be disadvantaged as end users find new ways of side stepping industry channels.

How technology is killing recording industries

Technology has been applauded all over the world as a tool that helps to simplify work. Technology makes operations simple as it enables for automation. When processes are automated, it is easier to work the systems. For organizations and for individuals, technology continues to provide for enhanced reliability, efficiency and security in their operations.

Technology is known to spur and stimulate growth and development hence providing an enabling environment for human fulfillment. Through use of technological tools, individuals and organizations are able to improve business transactions (Burgess 55).

The music recording industry has not been left behind in appreciating use of technology to enhance business. Technology, despite its positives, has in various ways impacted negatively on operations in the industry (Burgess 59). The internet radically changed the way musicians sell and market their music.

Through the internet, some musicians have made enough sales or adequately popularized their music. However, as more users got internet smart, they have been using the internet to download genuine music from artistes illegally. Illegal downloads using the internet has cost the recording industry millions of money. Apart from the illegality of download, many music merchandisers have lost their jobs as music is easily downloaded from the internet.

Piracy

Technology has made it easy to reproduce or produce music. Due to efficiency in music production, more music recordings can be produced. On the negative side, some people have mastered the art of illegally reproducing music and selling. This kind of engagement is called piracy.

Piracy confused and corrupted the music industry environment worldwide. Generally, the internet has radically changed how music is sold around the world; Music is readily accessible on the internet (Burgess 66). E-processes have been an advantage to both the buyers and the artistes because it promotes faster selling and access. Pirates have invaded the industry; these are people who want to benefit more than the real artiste and the recording industry at large.

Piracy has arisen due to innovation that involves compression and e-distribution of music file across the internet (Scott 54). When one manages to access music online and subsequently downloads the same without permission from the owner, this is actually stealing. Piracy as an activity is an illegal activity that leaves artistes and other players in the music industry demoralized. Demoralized music industry players often are more likely to do shoddy jobs than to engage in real creative work for their fans (Burgess 79).

Artistes and recording companies loose sales to piracy because there are many cheap counterfeit CDs being sold on streets around the world. Secondly, losses are recorded from internet piracy whereby sophisticated software is used to stream the music (Scott 75). Piracy involves using different wayss to have a copy of favorite music without paying for the same.

CD pirating has gained strength due to the introduction of CD-Recordable device. This is a home recording device, which can easily copy music and other audio onto a blank CD. The recording device is commonly referred to as a burner because of the technology involved in transferring image to the CD (Scott 109).

Mp3 music Trading

Mp3 is a new technology that encourages music piracy around the world. Mp3 is a short form of MPEG- layer 3. MP3 involves compression of music files while keeping exact quality. The compression of music to smaller size has encouraged activities of many pirates (Wang 33).

File Sharing

File sharing involves private and public sharing of data stored in a computer system or a space on a network. This is done using different levels of user access rights. File sharing facilitates a number of people to access a given file and basing on the privileges bestowed on a file, they can copy, modify or read (Wang 88).

The impact of file sharing technology in the music industry has been a major obstacle to its advancement. File sharing has led to decrease in sales as individuals share files instead of buying new music CDs. People who engage in file sharing do so innocently assuming it is harmless. File sharing and its usage online have facilitated reduced probability of people purchasing music. Most people have preferred online file sharing instead of traditional CD purchase.

The recording industry is in itself to blame for street piracy and related internet piracy (Wang 93). Due to selling original music exorbitantly, people resort to counterfeit in streets. In the 1980’s most recording companies were persuading the public to buy the digital compact disk, however, an adamant public stuck with LP and cassette.

CD sales were not as promising as the industry expected. Most major labels in the 1980s came up with a strategy of compelling their customers and retailers to desist from carrying the LPS due to the magnitude of records being released into the market. They came up with a strategy of liberally recording (Wang 123). CDS were known to be better than the cassette in areas of portability and quality of sound and were thus adopted in place of LPs.

Modern Labels

Modern labels have changed the way and means of producing and distributing music. The changes in ways of music production and distribution have created a shift in individual artiste engagement of the market. Technology has lowered the cost of production. As a result, individual artistes can now produce themselves easily. Individual artistes no longer see the need of signing big contracts.

The current changes enabled by technology allow modern labels enough flexibility and more prospects (Wang 147). Technology, therefore, does not just mean more money in the banks but also easier production and more creative solutions.

Technology and Success in the Music recording industry

Technology has transformed the music industry in awesome ways. Initially it was hard for them to find and nurture young talents. Additionally, managing the production of a given record was a nightmare. For artists, before technological advancement recording was not easy as one had to book a studio, hire qualified producers. Once produced, it was never easy to do promotion and distribution of the finished record.

In today’s technological world, artists can easily introduce themselves to producers. All an artiste needs is a laptop, correct equipment and a recording program. The artiste can easily do a sample recording at the comfort of the house and send the sample to producers or carry out the whole project on her own. As concerns the distribution and promotion of produced music, social networking sites such as MySpace and iTunes are easy to upload and promote music on (Scott 206).

MySpace has, launched many successful careers in music and has facilitated many artistes to get recording contracts. iTunes music store has made it easy for anyone to get an album by simply filling out some forms and sending them to apple for verification i.e. to determine if they meet the needed standard.

TV and Radio has played a pivotal role in providing avenues for the promotion of music industry; in particular artiste and their albums. TV and radio helps in advertising and giving air play to music of different artistes. Through personal interviews on radios and television programs artistes and recording companies are able to advertise themselves. Through new media channels especially blogging, artiste continue to have close to real time interaction with their fans and customers.

CDS are slowly being edged out because of new technological developments. The place of CD players is slowly but sure being taken over by the iPod. In a clearer way, the future purchase and sale of music is anticipated to be easier (Cusic 90).

It is anticipated that in the next ten years, the CDS will be replaced by small wireless hard drives, which can hold enormous amounts of data. The devices of the future will also have the capability of connecting to iTunes.

Internet entrepreneurs have found great ventures in the recording and music distribution world. Most recording companies have to understand e-commerce if they are to remain relevant and generate revenue (Burgess 196). A label which fails to have a web will tend to fail. Technology gives everyone the power to almost engage in everything. For an artist, the recorded changes in the industry mean that coming up with a profitable album does not really need many people, it only needs correct use of technology.

Fighting Piracy

Anti-piracy campaigns have found support in most governments around the world (Burgess 189). The integration of anti –piracy forensic technology by most recording industries has been a milestone to ensure that the industry continues to increase their revenues.

At the same time, use of such software helps in protecting organizational privacy, which is necessary for every organization. The technology assists authorities to identify the origin of pirated CDs (Burgess 167). Through tracking, pirates who reproduce music can easily be identified. The technology is widely useful in protecting recording industries that utilize optical CD formats.

Conclusion

The music recording industry plays a vital role in helping young and upcoming artiste to be nurtured and be able to shine in their chosen career. However, the industry has to develop strategies in order to stay ahead of music piracy. Legislation and adoption of or creation of sophisticated production technology is the sure way to beating piracy.

Secondly, each organization must have security measures, which the pirates will find hard to crack. Moreover, the industry should work hand in hand with the law enforcers to apprehend and ensure those who are caught pirating or with counterfeit goods are held accountable by facing the full wrath of law.

On the other hand, recording companies should consider applying appropriate technology such as online music sales. Digital downloads should be encouraged but precautions concerning security and copyright issues should be well outlined and elaborated so as to guard against piracy. The future of the music industry will be more promising depending on the choices the players in the industry are making.

Works Cited

Burgess, Richard James. The Art of Music Production. London: Omnibus Press, 2002

Cusic, Don. Music in the Market. North Carolina: Popular Press, 1996

Scott, Michael, D. Internet and Technology Law Desk Reference. New York: Aspen Publishers, 2009

Wang, Wally. Steal this File Sharing Book: What They Won’t Tell You About File Sharing. New York: No Starch Press, 2004

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