ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the structural, industrial norms at play within the music industry as a way of providing context for how producers do their work. Certainly, producers feel pressure from the social world and receivers, but they are also bound by the norms of their profession, by the imperative to make money, and by the way those around them have historically done their jobs. The chapter explores how female pop stars generate revenue through various parts of the modern music industry and also through related entertainment businesses. The process of determining what is a hit, or what is selling well, has changed markedly since CD sales declined rapidly, physical retail stores correspondingly went out of business, online sales grew and then fell, and streaming services rendered "sales" as a somewhat passé measure of success. Dramatic changes in the way in which audiences consume music have forced the creators/producers and the cultural objects/products made by the music industry to change quickly.
