Music Industry Research Articles

A study of the music history of the Pathé Company in the Shun Pao

Gramophones and records were first introduced into China at the end of the 19th Century and then developed and prospered here. After years of development and exploration, since E.Labansat founded Pathé Company in 1908, Pathé became the most influential record company. It maintained its leadership in record content and quality in this industry. The Company also played an important role in developing the record industry and transmitting the musical culture during the period of the Republic of China (1912–1949). It also has a close relationship with the development of Chinese modern music. As one of the most profound newspapers, Shun Pao is the earliest published newspaper in Shanghai and has the longest history. Its news materials published about records were written extremely thoroughly and abundantly. A study of the Pathé Company is regarded as invaluable. This study involves compiling original historical materials from the Shun Pao using a documentary analysis approach, systematically selecting and analyzing relevant materials according to various periods and categories. By analyzing the history of its development, business strategy, and cultural influence, the study explores the significance of Pathé to China›s record industry and witnesses its profound impact on the introduction of Western music culture, the fusion of Chinese and Western music culture, and the development of modern music in China.

An Application of The Theory of Planned Behaviour: Factors Influencing Parental Decision on Children Involvment in Out-Of-School Music Education

In China's music education and training industry, the exploration of parents' and children's educational decisions on the demand side of the market is crucial to the healthy functioning of the music education market. The current study applies TPB theory and modelling to investigate the factors influencing parental decision-making in children's out-of-school music education participation. The study was conducted in Henan Province, China, with a sample of 650 parents from 21 music education institutions in seven cities in Henan Province. The results of data analyses showed that parental ATT, SN, and PBC all had significant positive effects on PI. PBC directly affected PD, while PI was the most significant influence on PD.

Research on the Innovation of Traditional Music Cultural Inheritance

Traditional music is an important source of Chinese civilization and has a profound impact on the origin, enrichment, leap forward, and sublimation of Chinese culture. Starting from the three dimensions of history, people, and integration, it is important to inherit, carry forward, and spread the contemporary value of traditional music culture. We should focus on the inheritance of historical dimension, reposition the unique function of traditional music culture, strengthen the ecological protection of traditional music culture, and advocate excavation protection, purification protection, and promotion protection. Additionally, we focus on the development of the people dimension, adhere to the people-centered creative orientation, grasp the needs of the people, reflect their aspirations, and strive to enhance the timeliness and attraction of national music. We also focus on the communication of integration dimension, leverage the characteristic advantages of emerging media communication, promote the cross-border integration of the traditional music industry and related fields, respond to the focus and interaction of music audience services, and promote the construction of a modern three-dimensional communication system of traditional music.

Characteristics and Development Trends of Internet Plus Music Education

The 'Internet Plus Music Education' utilizes online technologies to transcend traditional educational constraints of time and space, offering students flexible and efficient learning pathways, thereby innovating the mode of music education. This study thoroughly analyzes the characteristics of this model and its future development, focusing on how it achieves open sharing of resources, enhances interaction and autonomous learning in foundational arts education through tools such as MOOCs, micro-courses, social platforms, and music applications. Online sparring software is the product of the deep integration of the Internet and music education. With continuous and comprehensive service content, online sparring software enables the music education industry to become large-scale and replicable online. It also explores the trends of data-driven transformation and offline-to-online integration in music education, aiming to address challenges, improve teaching quality, and provide new perspectives for the technological dissemination and inheritance of musical culture.

The influence of generative AI on popular music: Fan productions and the reimagination of iconic voices

This essay explores the burgeoning phenomenon of fan-generated content that utilizes generative artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic the voices of deceased or retired popular music artists. This practice can be seen as an extension of Digital Audio Workstations’ (DAWs’) capabilities, potentially leading to the creation of musical pieces that resemble traditional covers and mash-ups. The essay analyzes three representative works in this creative category. Two of them are of a fan nature, exploring imagined alternative paths in the development of popular music, while the third is a parody. As these examples demonstrate, the rise of AI covers raises numerous questions. These include concerns about the nature of human creativity and the potential response of the music industries to this technology’s proliferation.

Designing audio processing strategies to enhance cochlear implant users' music enjoyment

Cochlear implants (CIs) provide hundreds of thousands of users with increased access to sound, particularly speech, but experiences of music are more varied. Can greater engagement by CI users in the music mixing process mutually benefit them as well as audio engineers? This paper presents an exploratory mixed-methods study that leverages insights from CI users and professional audio engineers (AEs) in the investigation of techniques to enhance CI user music enjoyment and promote empathetic practices in AEs. Analysis of data collected over a multi-step process of surveys, interviews, and iterative cycles of sound mixing and feedback revealed two mixing strategies—namely essentializing and exaggeration of musical elements—common among mixes preferred by CI users. Participant responses also highlighted systemic ableism and audism in the music industry—an industry from which CI users report feeling excluded. Specifically, AEs felt inadequately trained around aural diversity considerations and experienced anxiety around their own aural diversity. In sum, this work contributes to insights into CI user music listening preferences; how AEs approach mixing for an aurally diverse audience; and discussion around the efficacy of CI simulation, user feedback, and AE peer feedback on mix enjoyment by CI users. Based on these findings, we offer several design insights that emphasize the need for customizable music listening tools centered around user agency and enjoyment.

Toward a sociological explanation of anxiety: Precariousness, class and gender among independent musicians

While anxiety is generally explained using an individualistic and biological framework, this article contributes to sociological approaches to emotions, considering anxiety as being triggered by social structural conditions, such as, in the case studied here, an outcome of precariousness faced by musicians in the music industries. Confronted by unbearable forms of anxiety triggered by an uncertainty encompassing all aspects of life, participants struggle to secure ontological security. Although experienced individually, the article reveals (1) how the disadvantages and exclusions associated with gender and class background are unevenly distributed, ultimately triggering different forms of anxieties; and (2) how emotions are differently managed depending on these social variables. Methodologically, the article presents an original study looking at the working lives of semi-professional musicians aged 25–37, based in Paris (France), Brooklyn, San Francisco and Portland (United States), Stockholm (Sweden) and Reykjavík (Iceland). Often considered as being at the forefront of precarious working lives in previous literature, cultural workers embody the current transformation of the psychosocial impact of contemporary precarity. Ultimately, this article argues for a repoliticisation of emotions, considering them as cultural realities and not ‘just’ idiosyncrasies.

Analysis of the Development of the Music Industry Based on AI-Powered CAD and Cloud Service Platform

Analysis of the Development of the Music Industry Based on AI-Powered CAD and Cloud Service Platform

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC, TECHNOLOGY, AND LISTENERS IN THE DIGITAL AGE

This article analyses the intricate dynamics of music technology's growth and its effect on listener involvement and the economic framework of the music industry. These highlights are the crucial significance of technical advancement in revolutionising the process of creating, distributing, and consuming music, specifically emphasising the shift from conventional to digital media. The study highlights the need to grasp historical backgrounds, technological milestones, and legal issues in understanding the intricate connection between artists, listeners, and the industry in the digital age. Therefore, seeks to elucidate the diverse effect of music technology on listener engagement and economic factors through thorough analysis, including case studies and projections for the future. This article advocated for considering ethical considerations, fostering ties between artists and listeners and investigating new business structures to create a sustainable and thriving music ecosystem amidst the continuous digital transformation.

‘Like a rabbit in the headlights’: A psychoanalytically oriented exploration of performance anxiety in professional musicians

AbstractPerformance anxiety is a significant professional problem among musicians. A psychoanalytically oriented qualitative research design was employed to explore the psychological realities of six professional musicians from various genres, including classical, folk, jazz, and crossover music. Each participant took part in three unstructured hour‐long interviews. Analysis focused on the integration of conscious and unconscious elements in order to provide some insight into participants' internal worlds. Three interrelated themes emerged from the data: 1. ‘The masquerade’, conveying the idea of a covering up of the visible signs of anxiety, and a simulation of confidence on stage; 2. ‘The lair of the beast’, describing the backdrop of the music industry, experienced as a threatening underworld; and 3. ‘The ghost’, reflecting a sense of the overhang of anxiety from earlier generations. Emergent themes were linked to psychoanalytic concepts, including Winnicott's concept of a false self and Freud's discussion of the uncanny. The multifaceted nature of performance anxiety, as evidenced in the material brought by participants in this study, is explored within the discussion. Directions for further research and clinical implications in relation to the culture of the music industry and working with performance anxiety in a psychotherapeutic context, are also outlined.

(Re)Considering Online Organizations: Communicating and Organizing via New Technology for High Reliability

Tom MacDonald’s success in the music industry can provide valuable insights for leaders and founders, particularly in the context of high-reliability organization (HRO) theory—MacDonald’s approach to music challenges conventional wisdom and societal norms, promoting open communication and adaptability. HROs should prioritize open channels, invest in training, and support continuous learning. Clear communication is crucial for employees to understand the organization’s roles, responsibilities, and goals, facilitating collaboration and problem-solving. It also helps manage change and prevents crises. Investing in communication skills and practices is essential for driving organizational success and resilience in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Harmonizing sentiments: Analyzing user reviews of Spotify through sentiment analysis

This research investigates the sentiment of user reviews on Spotify, with a particular focus on the Indonesian market, leveraging advanced sentiment analysis techniques. We employed three prominent classification models—Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest—to analyze a dataset of 14,296 user reviews extracted from the Google Play Store and App Store. These findings reveal that the SVM model achieved the highest performance, with an F1-score of 0.875 and an accuracy of 0.874, outperforming Naïve Bayes and Random Forest, which scored accuracies of 0.857 and 0.856 respectively. These results highlight not only the significance of this research which offers valuable contributions to the broader academic discourse on digital marketing, sentiment analysis, and consumer behavior. Additionally, it also showcases the robustness and superior performance of SVM and Random Forest in various sentiment analysis contexts. This study not only provides valuable insights for Spotify’s future development strategies but also contributes to the broader academic discourse on sentiment analysis and machine learning model performance in digital marketing. By highlighting the efficacy of specific models, this research underscores the importance of model selection in sentiment analysis, paving the way for more accurate and effective sentiment analysis applications in the music streaming industry.

Becoming Reflective Practitioners in the Music Business

This case study is from the music business production where we have investigated how supervisors at music camps develop as reflective practitioners. We have investigated the process of how the supervisors gradually become aware of their tacit knowledge and are able to make it explicit, following the SECI-model through reflecting. It is also interesting to identify how they maintain a production focus throughout each process of conducting the music camps, but at the same time opens up for reflection and learning. As the lecturers also work at a music production company, and we have sought to unveil how becoming reflective practitioners have made a difference when it comes to executing their profession. Hence, trough qualitative investigations we have interviewed the supervisors and their co-workers in their organization to unveil how this has had an impact in their organization and contributed to enhanced organizational knowledge.

A quantitative comparison of viral and hit songs in the Brazilian music market

A viralização de músicas através de plataformas de streaming e redes sociais é comum, mas nem todas as músicas virais se tornam sucessos. Neste contexto, nosso objetivo é descobrir o que difere as músicas virais dos hits para além da definição. Nós utilizamos uma metodologia quantitativa em paradas de sucesso do mercado brasileiro. Comparamos músicas de sucesso e virais quanto às suas características intrínsecas e extrínsecas, e os resultados revelam diferenças significativas entre elas. Características como gêneros musicais, tópicos das letras e emoções surgem como elementos cruciais para distinguir tais canções no contexto brasileiro. Além disso, características temporais indicam diferenças nos processos de difusão entre hits e virais. Em geral, este estudo oferece percepções sobre o consumo de música no Brasil, revelando a conexão entre as características das músicas e seu sucesso e viralização em plataformas de streaming.

Value Chain Identification and Impact of the Music Industry on Employment in Serbia

Research Question: The aim of paper is to identify value chain of the music industry and to determine the impact of music industry on employment in Serbia. Motivation: Creative industry is a very attractive topic among both scholars and professionals. A total of 52 sectors are considered as creative industry sectors, including music industry. Our goal was to identify the impact of the music industry on the economy, in addition to the entertaining and amusement value of the music. In order to do so, our goal was to understand all the sub-sectors and activities within music industries. Idea: Although excising NACE nomenclature of activities is rigid, our goal was to identify music industry activities within NACE codes, and to define how the value creation is distributed among various activities within the music industry value chain. Data: Measuring employment is based on combining data from the official statistics entities. Tools: Research required data on the four-digit level of activity (NACE), that were cross-referenced with the findings of the primary research and defined value chain activities of the music industries. Findings: The paper analyses the complexity of the value creation and value chain in the creative industries, specifically in the music industry. Findings support excising literature review and confirms complexity of the value chain in the music industries. In addition, the paper adds value to the scientific research by presenting novel approach that is based on using the Porter value chain model in the music industry and identifying a total of 29 activities within. Further, using created value chain model, paper results demonstrate the impact of the music industry on the employment in Serbia, that has been growing over the analysed period, no matter the COVID-19 crisis. Contribution: The paper expands the existing research related to creative industries and formulates the music industry value chain activities. The significance of this paper stems from the fact that, similar to other sectors within the creative industries, music industry is insufficiently covered by the data of the national statistical authorities. In addition,the paper measures the music industry impact on the employment in Serbia.

Lviv (Lemberg) Artefacts Of Theobald Böhm’s Flute Workshop

The analysis of artefacts from Theobald Böhm’s Second Flute Workshop is crucial for understanding 19th-century music industry developments and craftsmanship. This study aims to analyze the reception of Böhm’s reforms and their popularization among specialists and intellectuals, particularly in the capital of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, part of the Austrian Empire. The main methods include analysis of archival materials, comparison of newly manufactured flutes with previous forms, and retrospective analysis. The study examines Böhm’s activities and focuses on his second workshop (1855-1858). The investigation of Lviv artefacts from Böhm’s workshop is of significant scientific and cultural interest, enhancing our understanding of flute evolution and Böhm’s contributions. The study highlights the importance of Böhm’s flute artefacts in the history of flute art, refining and complementing existing knowledge and supporting further research. The early years following Böhm’s 1847 reform reveal the shock and varied reactions of industry experts, including rejection, refutation, adaptation, or acceptance of Böhm’s inventions. The initial stages of mastering these new instruments in European provincial centers, such as Lviv, provide unique insights into the professional crisis triggered by the reform. The Lviv example illustrates distinct attitudes towards Böhm’s innovations and general trends filtered through Galician consciousness and mentality. This study utilizes previously unpublished archival information and facts, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of this pivotal event in flute history.

Node attribute analysis for cultural data analytics: a case study on Italian XX–XXI century music

Cultural data analytics aims to use analytic methods to explore cultural expressions—for instance art, literature, dance, music. The common thing between cultural expressions is that they have multiple qualitatively different facets that interact with each other in non trivial and non learnable ways. To support this observation, we use the Italian music record industry from 1902 to 2024 as a case study. In this scenario, a possible research objective could be to discuss the relationships between different music genres as they are performed by different bands. Estimating genre similarity by counting the number of records each band published performing a given genre is not enough, because it assumes bands operate independently from each other. In reality, bands share members and have complex relationships. These relationships cannot be automatically learned, both because we miss the data behind their creation, but also because they are established in a serendipitous way between artists, without following consistent patterns. However, we can be map them in a complex network. We can then use the counts of band records with a given genre as a node attribute in a band network. In this paper we show how recently developed techniques for node attribute analysis are a natural choice to analyze such attributes. Alternative network analysis techniques focus on analyzing nodes, rather than node attributes, ending up either being inapplicable in this scenario, or requiring the creation of more complex n-partite high order structures that can result less intuitive. By using node attribute analysis techniques, we show that we are able to describe which music genres concentrate or spread out in this network, which time periods show a balance of exploration-versus-exploitation, which Italian regions correlate more with which music genres, and a new approach to classify clusters of coherent music genres or eras of activity by the distance on this network between genres or years.

Down, and Under Pressure: The Decline of Local and Non-Anglo Best-Selling Recording Artists in Australia 2000–2023: Submitted to the International Journal of Music Business Research 14.06.24.

Abstract The global consolidation and platformitisation of recorded music have attracted attention to changes in local artist representation in national sales charts and, more broadly, to the diversity of nationalities within recorded music markets. Global platform distribution has been perceived to aid local music economies and the diversity of cultural production. This article quantitatively analyses the annual Australian top 100 single and album charts 2000–2023 to determine Australian artist representation, Indigenous artist representation and diversity of nationality over the period. The data reveals, contrary to propositions of glocalisation and internationalisation, that Australian and non-Anglo artist representation has declined significantly, while North American and British artists have increased their presence in the Australian charts. It also finds that Indigenous chart representation over the period is low, stable and in line with population ratios. The data raises issues for artists, companies, policy makers and consumers in the Australian music industries.

Gender Disparity and Obstacles Faced by Female Musicians in Iran's Music Industry

Iranian female musicians face numerous obstacles that hinder their entry and growth in the music market despite having the potential to flourish. These challenges include limited access to resources, fewer performing opportunities, and societal biases that favor male artists. This study aims to investigate the gender-related challenges that women artists in Iran face, particularly emphasizing the significant inequities that exist for musicians. Combining qualitative data from in-depth interviews and document analysis with quantitative data from structured surveys, the primary study investigates the gender-related challenges that function as barriers to entry and prevent female musicians' active participation and success in Iran's art market. The objective also hopes to offer valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders regarding the promotion of gender equality and the provision of support for female artists in Iran, especially in the music sector. The research findings articulate four significant barriers to entry to the music market for Iranian female artists: cultural norms, societal pressures, economic concerns, and governmental rules.

A Transformação da Produção Musical Independente de Canções no Século XXI

Independent record labels and their often implicit relationship with major labels are one of the themes investigated in this historical retrospective through exploratory research with bibliographic review that addresses the musical landscape in which independent artists are embedded. Due to the complexity and breadth of the topic of independent production in the music industry, it was chosen to explore not only the structure of independent record labels but also the nature of independent scenes themselves. For this purpose, categories such as "independent artist," "artist direct" (Mulligan, Mark, 2021), and "artist entrepreneur" (Cerqueira, 2018) will be addressed. Furthermore, the importance of the contemporary connection between independent artists and the consumer market for songs through social networks will be highlighted, as they have become an important channel for the dissemination and promotion of their works. This work arises from the close relationship of one of the authors of the article with independent music production, being himself a artist direct who seeks to understand the challenges and opportunities that permeate this ever-changing musical universe.