The industry has been compelled by this shift to investigate other sources of income, like live concerts and streaming platforms. Its struggle serves as a reminder of how challenging it is to strike a balance between accessibility and equitable payment for producers and artists.

Concerns over how big label deals can hurt independent artists and labels are brought up. The industry is less competitive when big companies like Universal are allowed to control it, which makes it more difficult for smaller labels to succeed. Only musicians supported by major labels may get widespread recognition as a result, homogenizing the music industry and reducing diversity in both musical genres and artist representation. The worry is that if big businesses dominate the distribution and promotion channels, independent musicians—who frequently contribute new and inventive sounds—may find it difficult to connect with fans.

By covering and popularizing songs originally written and performed by Black artists, white musicians gained mainstream radio play and commercial success, while Black artists were often neglected. Danny Kessler’s quote underlines how systemic racism in the industry limited opportunities for Black musicians. This exploitation not only robbed many artists of financial success but also obscured their contributions to music history—a pattern that has had lasting effects on the industry.

This text emphasizes how, in order to thrive, industries must adjust to technological progress. When television came into being , radio changed its emphasis to music and allied itself with the recording industry. This change not only kept radio up-to-date, but it also made it an effective instrument for music industry promotion. Digital streaming services, which have changed how music is found and promoted, are one example of a similar adaption.

This section demonstrates how modern technology first upended the music business by making music freely accessible and eliminating the need for conventional knowledge and gear. But instead of completely opposing change, the recording business adjusted by obtaining license fees, thus transforming a possible danger into a new source of income. Similar conflicts emerged with the emergence of streaming services like Spotify. This pattern of initial rejection followed by adaption is a recurrent subject in media history.

By enabling independent musicians to circumvent conventional gatekeepers, digital platforms have revolutionized the music industry, as this excerpt demonstrates. Music distribution is becoming more accessible because to social media and virtual worlds, which offer direct contact to audiences. But even as this lowers entrance barriers, it also makes it more difficult for artists to stand out because of the increased competition.