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)

Conclusions

Singular ---> Plural Significant changes Other accounts - cultural geography,

economics, business / management studies

Study of music-related industries