The impact of new technologies and the Internet on the music industry, 1997-2001

Dobie, I

Abstract

This dissertation analyses the controversial issues surrounding the rise of the online
music space at the turn of the millennium.' The consumer-led online music
revolution rode on the back of a new technology that enhanced connectivity but
disregarded notions of copyright and intellectual property. This enabled artists to
create, promote and disseminate their own music, but also allowed end users to share
unauthorized music files, to the financial detriment of the music industry. It
examines the major music corporations' attempts to halt what they considered to be
undesirable behaviour, as well as the struggle over control of copyrights, and
assesses the likely path of the development of viable online music services. The
findings suggest that the music industry is capable of success within the online
environment as long as it heeds the lessons of the consumer-driven market. Artists
and end users have been empowered by the technology, and niches have emerged for
new intermediaries to service new demands. The significance of this study is that it
contextualizes and analyses the turmoil and flux which this period experienced; it
identifies the underlying issues, and points the direction for the future of the
industry. This has been an important juncture in the history of the recording industry,
and the new network technology has engendered considerable changes in the
relationship between the major corporations and the public. While existing studies of
the music industry and copyright law have informed the work, this dissertation
provides original research into how the online music space relates to and affects the
major label- dominated offline music industry, weaving together the various strands
in a multi-disciplinary approach.

Citation

Dobie, I. The impact of new technologies and the Internet on the music industry, 1997-2001. (Thesis). University of Salford, UK

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jun 5, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 5, 2009
• Award Date: Sep 1, 2001