The Internet's Effect on the Music Industry

The Internet’s Effect on the Music Industry The internet has had a big impact on the workings and revenue of the music industry. It has forced the industry to change and adapt (Blethen). These changes have had both positive and negative effects on the music industry, effecting all people within the business (Mansfield). Some people share the opinion that the industry having trouble and is in turmoil (Sloan). Others think that the internet has helped the industry with its growing success and will only make it better (“A Change of Tune; The Music Industry”). The internet has influenced the music industry by making piracy easier, creating online radio, creating new customer advantages and creating some company disadvantages. The internet has drastically increased piracy problems with the music industry by making it much easier. Piracy has easily had the biggest impact on the music industry because of the internet. Piracy is defined as illegal music theft (Graham, “Music industry finds new beat”). The best description of music theft comes from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA): Music theft can take various forms: individuals who illegally upload or download music online, online companies who build businesses based on theft and encourage users to break the law, or criminals manufacturing mass numbers of counterfeit CDs for sale on street corners, in flea markets or at retail stores. Across the board, this theft has hurt the music community, with thousands of layoffs, songwriters out of work and new artists having a harder time getting signed and breaking into the business. (Piracy: Online and on the Street)
These mentioned illegal downloads are now at an all time high. Forty-three percent of people worldwide now download music illegally (Mansfield). Piracy is made easier by online file sharing companies. File sharing companies allow people to share music on the internet. Although these companies say not to download copyrighted materials,