ABSTRACT
The music industry is often regarded as a particularly significant sector within the contemporary media industries. Music was the first sector to be disrupted and then transformed by the growth of the internet. This chapter provides an overview of the rise, fall, and rise (again) of the music industry. The chapter is divided into two main sections. The first part provides an overview of the emergence of the music industry during the 20th century as a sector focused on the sale (and licensed use) of recorded music, rather than live performance. The second and main part of the chapter then examines the reformulation of the music industry in the era of online distribution. This section begins by discussing the growth of online music piracy during the early 2000s and the response of key players within (and outside) the industry. It then focuses on the rise of music streaming services and how they have transformed the music industry, for the benefit of some more than others.
