Industry Analysis Case Study

Technology and the Changing Shapes of Music

OR

Abstract:
Since its inception in the 1880s, the music industry has always relied on technological innovations for its growth and survival. Throughout the 20th century, advancements in audio technology enabled the evolution of music into a global industry. However, by the end of the 1990s, digital technology that enabled free access to music on the Internet gave rise to rampant music piracy. In the first half of 2003, the worldwide music industry witnessed a drop in sales of 10.9% as compared to the corresponding period in the previous year (2002). The advent of the 'iTunes On-line Music Store' by the end of 2003, was hailed as an innovation that could turn the industry's fortunes around.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To discuss the impact of rise of peer-to-peer network on the music industry and how the industry can tackle the menace
• To understand the opportunity that digitisation of music offers and the business model of Apple's iTunes.

Keywords : Music industry, Recording technology, Piracy report 2001, Piracy report 2002, Piracy report 2003, Technology Management Case Study, Music industry sales, iTunes, iTunes and the music industry, iTunes and the future of music, Sony, Technology and the music industry, On-line music piracy, EMI, BMG, Universal