Understanding the Music Industries

Dr Chris Anderton is Associate Professor in Cultural Economy at Solent University, Southampton, UK. His research interests focus on the music industries, music culture and music history. He is author or co-editor of several books including Understanding the Music Industries (2013), Music Festivals in the UK. Beyond the Carnivalesque (2019), and the forthcoming books Media Narratives in Popular Music and Researching Live Music: Gigs, Tours, Concerts and Festivals. He has also guest edited issues of the academic journals Rock Music Studies and Arts & the Market, and published in numerous other edited collections and journals. Martin James is professor of music industries at Southampton Solent University.Martin joined Southampton Solent University from the University of Sunderland in July 2007. He studied for his first degree at Nottingham Trent University where he was awarded a BA (Hons) Communication Studies.He gained an MA Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Sunderland, where he also received a PhD. His doctoral thesis was called ‘Versioning Histories and Genres’, a commentary on his books State of Bass: Jungle – The Story So Far(1997) and French Connections: From Discotheque to Discovery (2002).Prior to becoming a lecturer in 2004, Martin was an internationally renowned music journalist who had worked on the editorial teams of some of the biggest magazines on the market. He also regularly contributed to almost every major music and lifestyle magazine, and numerous daily broadsheet newspapers. Martin has also written several internationally published and critically acclaimed books about music, including biographies of The Prodigy and Dave Grohl.Since 2009 Martin has coordinated Southampton Solent University’s associations with some of the UKs finest independent festivals including Glade, Bestival, Camp Bestival, Blissfields and Common People. Through these link-ups our students have been able to gain experience in various areas of music and media performance and production industries.In 2009 Martin organised the University’s first music industries conference ‘Solent Music Industries Live Event’ (SMILE). Featuring some of the biggest names in the world of music sharing their knowledge with students. SMILEfest is now an annual student organised event that includes gigs, club nights, employability challenges, masterclasses and workshops.In 2014 he co-edited the ‘Music Journalism Special Edition’ of the peer-reviewed International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM) journal.In 2015 Martin launched IAMJREP (The International Association of Music Journalism Researchers, Educators and Practitioners), a collaborative venture with scholars throughout the world.

This is an invaluable book for anyone who wants to know how the modern music industry works. Students will find it clear and enjoyable to read, musicians will find it revealing and helpful, and budding music entrepreneurs will find it provides real insights. It is up-to-date, informed by the realty of the modern music business, and balances theory with practice.Tim WallProfessor of Radio and Popular Music Studies, Birmingham City University

• IntroductionQuestioning ′Traditional′ Models of the Music IndustryStructure of the Book1. Studying the Music IndustriesKey FindingsGetting StartedOrganizational StructurePolitical EconomyCulture IndustrySociologyMusicologyMetanarrativeHistorical AnalysisTechnological DevelopmentMedia EcologyDigital TechnologiesIssuesConclusionFurther Reading2. The Recorded Music IndustryKey FindingsThe Structure and Size of the Recording IndustryA Brief History of the Recorded Music IndustryThe Majors: Business Structures and CharacteristicsThe Independent Sector: Definitions and TypesThe Ideology of IndependenceStrategies for Dealing with Uncertainty and RiskConclusionFurther Reading3. Songwriting and PublishingKey FindingsSongwriters, Performers and PublishersMotivationsSongwriting as Commercial PracticeSongwriting Methods and ToolsMusic PublishingTraditional Income Streams′New′ Income StreamsSamplingConclusionFurther Reading4. Music ProductionKey FindingsChanging Models and the Mythology of the Recording StudioThe Production ProcessTrackingMixingMasteringManufacturingProduction Careers and RolesProject Studios, MIDI, and Other DevelopmentsConclusionFurther Reading5. Music DistributionKey FindingsIntroducing Music DistributionPhysical DistributionMass-Market RetailersIndependent RetailersSecond-Hand RetailersOnline Music DistributionStreaming ServicesMusic Media DistributionUnauthorized DistributionConclusionFurther Reading6. Music PromotionKey FindingsMarketing, Branding and GatekeepingThe Promotional CampaignMusic JournalismRadioTelevisionPoint of Sale Marketing (POS) and In-Store MusicSponsorships and EndorsementsGrassroots MarketingSocial Media/Mobile MediaConclusionFurther Reading7. The Live Music IndustriesKey FindingsThe Resurgence of Live MusicA Brief History of the Live Music IndustryMotivations for Live Concert TouringAuthenticity and Live PerformanceLive Music SponsorshipRoles and ResponsibilitiesLive Performance ContractsConcert and Festival TicketingThe Relationship between the Recorded and the Live Music IndustriesConclusionFurther Reading8. Music AudiencesKey FindingsUnderstanding Music AudiencesMusic on the Move: From the Walkman to the iPhoneMusic and Social Media ConsumptionHeritage and NostalgiaRecord CollectingConclusionFurther Reading9. Copyright and Music PiracyKey FindingsIntroducing CopyrightCopyright BasicsKey Terms in UK Copyright LawUS Copyright Law: Key DifferencesCollection SocietiesMusic PiracyMusic Industry Responses to PiracyArtist Responses to PiracyConclusionFurther Reading10. Contractual Agreements and RelationshipsKey FindingsArtist Management AgreementsMusic Publishing AgreementsRecording AgreementsConclusionFurther ReadingConclusionComplexity and SymbiosisBe Wary of MetanarrativesDiversity and ReorganizationWhere Next?Glossary