The way music is consumed has expanded incredibly since the introduction of downloadable content on the internet. With programmes such as Itunes, Napster and Limewire freely available it is easy to access the music we want when we want it. For a fee, we can download the music on these programmes, as licensing and distribution laws do not condone piracy and want us to contribute to the artist as we would when buying a cd. However, there are many illegitimate ways of downloading music without paying through various other programmes. Limewire is not entirely legitimate as it allows users to browse other users music libraries and take what they want on a peer to peer network.
With music that is published on the internet so widely and freely available, it is easier for a band to be discovered and given a recording deal if anyone who wishes to can access and download their music. Artists such as Lily Allen, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Enemy and Kate Nash have all been in existence on the internet before appearing on the music scene. This has changed popular music as artists do not need to go through the painstaking process of playing nationwide gigs and venues just to be discovered. They can be paid to do this once they have a recording contract. However, this is not always a good thing. If an artist wants their music to be just that, discovery and widespread distribution of their product may alter the way their music sounds. The Stereophonics for example, did not like the fame their music brought them, but still went on to produce several albums, the newest of which has just come out.
I think we will still need media production companies as people still need a server to host their website. After this their discovery and distribution adds ultimately to the company's pocket, so there will be no worry about media companies disappearing. What do you think?
2 comments:
Nathan,
I'm glad to see that you've started posting some more comments on here. You have quite a bit of work to be doing to catch up on the tasks. Do feel free to email me if you have any particular concerns. ekilkelly@lincoln.ac.uk. I can also meet with you if you feel this would be useful. The work you've done so far on your blog is good, and really demonstrates that you've been doing the reading....however, you do need to be doing more of it to gain a good grade in the assessment. You also need to be generating some discussion with your blog. So, I'd advise you strongly to contact the fellow-study group members by email, and remind them that they should be commenting on your blog, and you on theirs. When you comment on theirs, please inform them and me of that in the forum.
I was keen to read your comments here on music sharing as this is a subject which I'm very interested in. I think you highlight well, how easy it is for people to illegitimately gain music. You also discuss the benefits to artists through music sharing. I agree to some extent that media companies may not disappear with music sharing, but what about record companies, places such as HMV?
All the best
Emma
Hey Emma,
I dont think record stores would disappear either, because I know myself that I would rather have a hard copy of the music with a cover and a case than its digital counterpart which can be erased from your computer at any time, and you would have to pay out for it again.
Nathan
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