Overview
American Popular Music and Its Business in the Digital Age: 1985-2020 by Rick Sanjek is the sequel to his father Russell Sanjek's American Popular Music and Its Business: the First 400 Years. This book offers a detailed and objective history of the popular music industry from the introduction of the compact disc to the shift to streaming, with particular emphasis on the creators, the consumers, and the music business professionals who, in Sanjek's telling, form the three major axes of the industry.Each of the book's three sections--1985-1995, 1996-2006, and 2007-2019--has five chapters covering the same areas and issues. The first chapter in each section outlines the competition between the Big Six music conglomerates, their corporate structures, leadership, finances, and market share. The second chapter traces the synergy between the labels, the retail sector, radio, and the trade magazines whose charts are the pacemaker for the entire industry. Third comes music publishing, licensing, copyright, and legal issues including legislation, litigation, and infringement, followed by a focus on creators and how they earn their money. Each final chapter examines how, how much, and where consumers--who lead in adopting new technology--spend their money.Underlying it all is an insider's perspective on the role that the CD, Napster, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, SoundScan, electronic ticketing, and other innovations had in redefining the business structure and revenue flow of the entire industry. Digital technology also affected the regulations, contracts, and financial transactions that define the complex business of music, as live performance transitioned from clubs, concert halls, and theaters to arenas, amphitheaters, and stadiums. Concurrently, recorded music evolved from analog to digital sound carriers through MP3 downloads and then to on-demand streaming files, ultimately affecting consumers, creators, and the music business infrastructure that connects them.Finally, an epilogue includes the effects of COVID-19 in 2020 on all involved, closing with a glimpse into the digital future with the emergence of TikTok, livestreaming, immersive media, and artificial intelligence.
Full Product Details
Author: Rick Sanjek (Music Licensing Consultant, Music Licensing Consultant)
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions:
Width: 15.70cm
, Height: 4.00cm
, Length: 23.70cm
Weight: 1.007kg
ISBN: 9780197782897
ISBN 10: 0197782892
Pages: 696
Publication Date: 07 August 2024
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: To order
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.
Reviews
As well as an academic treatise, this book is a captivating journey through the tumultuous American music industry during a period marked by revolutionary change. More than just a collection of facts, the book offers a vivid re-telling of the transition into the digital age. As someone who has lived through these changes, Sanjek brings a unique perspective in this truly masterful exploration of the music business. * David Bennett, Entertainment Consultant / former Executive Director, Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission * This user friendly, deeply researched rendering is a guidepost of invaluable history and fact-based information. The thirty infographic illustrations are thorough and a great bonus to this comprehensive, decades-spanning volume! * Charlie Feldman, former BMI Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations *
Author Information
Rick Sanjek is a former BMI Vice President of writer/publisher relations, national trustee and chapter president of the Recording Academy®, A&R director at Atlantic Records, artist manager, independent publisher, label operator, and currently licensing consultant. He learned the music business basics working directly with five Hall-of-Fame mentors: BMI's Frances Preston; Atlantic Records' Jerry Wexler; the incomparable Willie Nelson; legendary Sun Records producer, publisher, and songwriter Jack Clement; and producer, label owner, and steel guitar legend Pete Drake. Over his career he has worked as a producer, music supervisor, publisher, songwriter, and/or licensing consultant on hundreds of music, film, and television projects.
