The media and entertainment sector remain under threat from digital piracy, with an estimated annual revenue loss of over USD 30 billion resulting from the illegal distribution and consumption of digital content. Blockchain technology (BT) has recently resolved numerous concerns addressing the protection of digital media rights. It can assist digital content creators and distributors in automating transactions and tracking the dissemination of digital material in the movie and music industries. This article aims to determine the critical success factors (CSFs) for BT adoption in the movie and entertainment industry. An extensive literature review was undertaken to discover success criteria. This resulted in discussions with experts to validate the CSFs needed to adopt BT in the movie and music industries. The ‘Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL)’ method was used to identify cause-effect link between essential success elements. The DEMATEL technique, which is well-suited for revealing the linkages between interdependent components. Based on the investigation, 14 CSFs were found and classified into five dimensions. With the DEMATEL technique, 10 factors were categorized in the causal group, and the remaining 4 in the effect group. The study highlights the essential interdependencies between key elements, including stakeholder preparation, technology infrastructure, digital rights management, and regulatory compliance, based on expert advice. The results provide governments and industry stakeholders with valuable insights to mitigate the risks of piracy and foster healthy digital ecosystems. Immutable Attribution, Decentralized Governance, and Decentralized Audience Insights were rated as the top three factors for BT adoption. Our findings can help legislators, technology integrators, and media and entertainment companies create blockchain-based anti-piracy plans. The DEMATEL analysis's actionable insights offer a prioritized roadmap for successfully integrating blockchain technology to guarantee safe and long-lasting digital content management.

The article is devoted to the problem of forming an effective institutional structure of public policy in the sphere of development of the music industry in Ukraine. It is established that the current state is characterized by the fragmentation of institutional interaction, a significant part of the industry related to popular and contemporary culture remains outside the attention of state bodies. The author’s vision of building a model within which state authorities, local governments, specialized agencies, trade unions, public organizations and private participants of the music market interact is presented. The activities of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, the State Agency for Arts and Art Education, local governments, parliamentary committees, as well as cultural institutions – philharmonics, theaters, music academies and conservatories – are analyzed. The key functions of these institutions in ensuring the development of the music sphere are determined, including strategic planning, financing, organization of the educational process, preservation of heritage, popularization of national music, international cooperation. The need to create a central executive body capable of coordinating the activities of all parties involved, ensuring communication with representatives of the music industry, forming state policy and implementing targeted programs was emphasized. The feasibility of establishing a single state body of collective management to regulate copyright issues, payment of royalties and maintaining a register of the use of musical works was emphasized. Attention was focused on the prospects for wider involvement of the private sector, in particular labels, production centers, recording studios and indie artists, which will contribute to strengthening the market and developing a competitive music product. As a result, it was proven that the creation of a holistic institutional structure with a coordinating body will ensure the consistency of public policy in the field of the music industry, will contribute to the preservation of the national musical heritage, increasing the level of cultural identity and integration of Ukraine into the world cultural space.

The digital age has redefined the music industry, empowering independent artists to bypass traditional gatekeepers and build sustainable careers through strategic branding and the creator economy. This paper explores how personal branding, storytelling, collaborations, and platform optimization enable independent musicians to thrive in a highly saturated digital environment. Drawing on secondary research, it examines how platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok, alongside emerging technologies like blockchain and AI, are reshaping monetization, fan engagement, and creative autonomy. Case studies of Indian artists Anuv Jain and The Local Train illustrate how authenticity, direct-to-fan strategies, and diversified revenue models can transform independent acts into cultural icons. While the creator economy democratizes access and fosters innovation, it simultaneously introduces challenges, including oversaturation, algorithmic bias, platform dependence, and economic precarity. The findings underscore that independent artists must balance authenticity with strategic branding and technological adaptability to build long-term, resilient careers in the evolving music ecosystem.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed how people find, listen to, and interact with music. AI-powered recommendation systems are a key part of the personalized experiences that streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube provide to their users. These recommendation systems match listeners’ tastes and interests but also work to influence consumers’ preferred behaviour and ultimately reshape the global music industry. Here we have a detailed exploration of how AI operates within music recommendation systems, helps shape consumer behaviour, and the wider implications beyond music recommendation systems themselves. To achieve this, we draw upon some technological fundamentals, real-world examples, and academic literature to analyse the opportunities and challenges posed by AI-driven, personalized experiences. The paper talks about the analytics over the data to perform certain action and then take knowledgeable actions on it. The paper is analysed using machine learning algorithms on different parameters like precision, recall and accuracy scores. Confusion matrix is drawn to understand the implication of data on the consumer preferences. Keywords: Recommendation System, personalized, technological perspective, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Revolution.

Contemporary pop music production is being profoundly transformed by digital technology. Technological evolution and creative practice are intertwined, mutually reinforcing each other, forming a dynamic, mutually empowering relationship. Generation after generation of digital audio workstations (DAWs) have radically transformed the production process—from tools once reserved for professional recording studios to accessible creative platforms for the average person. Sampling technology and virtual instruments have broken down the physical limitations of sound, allowing for greater freedom in the integration of styles while also driving the gradual improvement of copyright regulations. Cloud-based collaborative technology has broken down geographical barriers and fostered new forms of collective creation. AI-assisted tools have evolved from merely performing basic tasks to providing in-depth creative assistance, improving efficiency and broadening the boundaries of expression. Immersive audio technology has redefined the spatial narrative logic of music. This article relies on real cases and industry data to clarify the five key stages of technological evolution and analyze the impact of technological innovation on the entire chain from creative conception, production execution to communication feedback. Ultimately, it aims to explain the development law of contemporary pop music: "technology sets the stage for creativity, and creativity leads technology", and serve as a reference for music creation practice and industry research.

This study aims to analyze the role of TikTok as a digital marketing tool in increasing the number of streams and musicians' income, with a case study of the viralization of the song "Mangu" by Fourtwnty. Using a qualitative approach with a case study method, this study explores the dynamics of the virality of music content on the TikTok platform and its impact on the digital music ecosystem. The results show that the virality of songs is not solely triggered by algorithms, but also by the power of emotional narratives, the relevance of lyrics to the user experience, and the active participation of the audience in the form of production. This phenomenon is driving cross-platform conversions, where TikTok users are switching to streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube, thereby increasing digital royalties and opening up live performance opportunities for musicians. Organic marketing strategies based on audience engagement have proven to be effective in creating broad and sustainable exposure, especially among the digital native generation. This research confirms that TikTok is not only an entertainment platform, but also a strategic medium in building music branding and monetizing works creatively. These findings provide important implications for independent musicians and the music industry in designing adaptive and participatory promotional strategies in an increasingly competitive digital economy.

Background: The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has had a significant impact on the music industry, particularly Chinese popular music (C-pop), which presents unique difficulties due to its distinctive melodic structures and emotional depth. While AI can boost efficiency and inspire composers, current models are ineffective in feature selection and prediction accuracy, leading to compositions without stylistic integrity and commercial viability. Problem Statement: Current AI-generated melodies often lack the stylistic depth of human compositions and fail to predict market success accurately. These challenges highlight the need for a more effective AI framework capable of generating high-quality melodies. Objectives: This study introduces the GenAI Melody-LSTM algorithm. This generative AI-driven technique uses Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to create melodies inspired by Chinese pop songs and forecasts their success. The main goals are to build an AI pipeline for music preprocessing, improve feature selection, train a deep learning model for stylistically consistent melodies, and compare its effectiveness to other methods. Methodology: The methodology utilises a GenAI Melody-LSTM algorithm, which contains data preprocessing techniques such as mode and mean imputation, label encoding, and Min-Max scaling. Feature selection is improved using the Hybrid Filter-Wrapper Ensemble (HFWE) method, which combines Mutual Information, Chi-Square Test, ANOVA F-Test, and Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) with Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), with the final subset determined by majority voting. The selected features, like melody structure, key signature, tempo, rhythm complexity, instrumentation, and emotion, are used as inputs for an LSTM-based deep learning model that comprises multiple LSTM layers, dropout layers to prevent overfitting, and a dense output layer to create melodies and forecast their commercial success. Results: Performance evaluation using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and Matthew’s correlation coefficient (MCC) provides better results with the GenAI Melody-LSTM algorithm, with 89.7% accuracy, 87.5% precision, 88.2% recall, an F1-score of 87.8%, and an MCC of 0.82. Conclusion: This research demonstrates that integrating generative AI, optimal feature selection, and deep learning significantly enhances Chinese pop music compositions. The LSTM-based model generates melodies and predicts their commercial viability, enabling composers to fine-tune AI-generated music for improved quality and market appeal.

Copyright protection for musical works is a vital aspect of the music industry. However, the practice of using songs commercially without the creator’s authorization remains a significant problem that violates both economic and moral rights. This research aims to analyze the scope of legal protection for song copyrights under Law Number 28 of 2014 and the challenges of its enforcement. It also critically examines the Panel of Judges’ legal reasoning in Case Number 92/Pdt.Sus-HKI/Copyright/2024/PN Niaga Jkt.Pst concerning the determination of the Performer’s liability and the application of civil sanctions. This normative legal research employs a qualitative analysis of primary and secondary legal materials, drawing on statutory, case, and conceptual approaches. The findings indicate that although Law Number 28 of 2014 provides a robust basis for protection, various enforcement challenges persist. Case Number 92/Pdt.Sus-HKI/Copyright/2024/PN Niaga Jkt.Pst affirmed the occurrence of copyright infringement by the Performer. The ruling found the Performer liable despite the presence of an organizer. It also imposed economic damage sanctions by referencing parameters within criminal provisions. However, the court rejected the claim for moral rights damages for lack of proof. This case has implications for affirming the Performer’s liability and the paradigm for imposing sanctions in song copyright disputes. It also promotes increased legal awareness within the Indonesian music industry.

Following the evolution of digital technologies, communication is opening more space to visual elements, recognizing them for their semiotic functions. Among those elements, typography plays a significant role since, as van Leeuwen (2017, p. 9) states, “writing of all kinds now has to ‘look good’”. This affirmation can also be associated with the popularization of lyric videos — videos that show the lyrics and the audio of a song synchronically — which have been gaining recognition as a promotional tool in the music industry (McLaren, 2018). Considering that, this paper aims at presenting and discussing typography as a multimodal aspect of lyric videos of Taylor Swift’s songs that, when integrated to other visual elements present in those videos, may help the viewer to understand the context in which they were produced, the meanings behind the lyrics, and consequently, promote visual literacy. To do that, in a qualitative and exploratory study, we selected 7 (seven) lyric videos published on Taylor Swift’s official YouTube channel and took screenshots of three lines of each song: the first line of the song, the first line of the chorus, and the last line of the song, totaling 21 (twenty-one) screenshots. Then, the screenshots were cataloged in a spreadsheet, in which the characteristics present on the typographic elements were organized based on van Leeuwen’s (2006) and Serafini and Clausen’s (2012) descriptions. The last step was to analyze the data obtained and identify the meaning-making possibilities brought by this semiotic mode. Results showed that typography in Taylor Swift’s lyric videos plays a significant role in the meaning-making process. Features such as (it)regularity, (in)formality, framing, and color may have been used to convey messages of love, heartbreak, and grudge. We could understand that a possible implication of this is the use of lyric videos in the educational context, which might bring a new contribution to the English learning process and to visual literacy promotion through typography.

The digital revolution has significantly transformed the music industry, especially in the distribution and monetization of creative works through digital streaming platforms. This study analyzes the effectiveness of resolving digital copyright disputes in Indonesia based on landmark case studies, namely the Agnez Mo vs. Ari Bias dispute resulting in a fine of IDR 1.5 billion and the royalty controversy involving the band Kotak related to the song created by Posan Tobing. This study examines the implementation of Law No. 28 of 2014 on Copyright and Law No. 1 of 2024 on the Second Amendment to the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (ITE Law), as well as the integration of electronic royalty mechanisms in digital transactions. The results indicate that although court decisions provide deterrent effects and legal certainty, significant challenges remain in terms of evidence, enforcement, and regulatory harmonization. The implementation of technologies such as blockchain and smart contracts is proposed as a solution to enhance transparency and accountability of royalty payments in the digital streaming era. This research contributes new insights by linking juridical and technological aspects in the protection of digital music copyrights, along with recommendations for strengthening regulations and dispute resolution mechanisms in Indonesia.

Death, Taxes, and the Right of Publicity: The Price of Fame in the Music Industry

Voices of Change: How Generation Z is Reshaping the Music Industry

Dua Mata Pisau is a new independent music project from Jakarta, Indonesia, currently preparing for its first music release. The rapid growth of the music industry in the digital era presents both opportunities and challenges for independent musicians. Digitalization enables easier distribution of music through digital streaming platforms (DSPs) such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. However, this also increases competition, making it difficult for new musicians to gain visibility and effectively monetize their work. This study aims to assist Dua Mata Pisau in determining an appropriate marketing strategy by exploring audience-based market segmentation, identifying the most attractive target segment, and developing a positioning strategy aligned with its resources and competencies. The research utilized data and insights from key industry stakeholders—such as music producers, artist managers, and label representatives—supported by secondary data, including music consumption trends, streaming platform reports, and industry analyses. Through segmentation analysis, three primary segments were identified: Diehard Fans, Functional Users, and Aspirational Learners. By applying frameworks such as segment attractiveness assessment, market access evaluation, and value proposition analysis, the study concludes that Dua Mata Pisau should adopt a multi-segment targeting strategy. This strategy involves tailored offerings for each segment, leveraging the project's unique resources and capabilities. The strategic implementation culminates in the planned release of Dua Mata Pisau’s debut single in June 2026. The findings provide actionable insights for independent musicians seeking to professionalize their marketing approach while contributing to the academic discourse on strategic marketing in the creative industry.

From 1964–1965, the Sanremo Music Festival, Italy’s most popular contest dedicated to “la canzone italiana,” required that each song entered into competition be performed once by an Italian musician and once by an international musician (instead of by two Italian musicians). Though this rule was short-lived, it led to a period of several years in which some of the world’s most famous musicians gathered in the Ligurian town to perform songs written by Italian composers specifically for the Festival, often singing in Italian rather than in their native tongue. The dual Italian-stranieri (Italian-foreigner) performances helped Italy to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining healthy international relations (Agostini 2007, Facci and Soddu 2011). However, due to the participation of a number of Black international musicians, these performances also offered Italian audiences an opportunity to directly compare and conceptualize Italian and Black musicalities. In this article, I explore the six years, 1964–1969, during which some of the most famous Black musicians of the midcentury—Louis Armstrong, Dionne Warwick, Wilson Pickett, Shirley Bassey, and Eartha Kitt, among several others—performed at Sanremo. Taking seriously Sanremo’s objective of presenting many songs both “all’italiana” and “alla straniera,” I analyze music and video recordings of these Black musicians’ performances to examine how songs written by Italian composers for the Festival were “translated” sonically and linguistically from a (white) Italian aesthetic to a Black (American) aesthetic. I ground these analyses in reception history, in which newspaper journalists commented frequently on the Black musicians’ unique stage presence, vocal timbre, and physicality. Notably, Black women (namely Bassey, Kitt, and Warwick) were often criticized for their purported hypersexuality, with some journalists invoking the “Venere nera” (Black Venus) trope by name (Ponzanesi 2005). Though some (like the Unione italiana cantanti [Union of Italian Singers]) protested the influx of foreign musicians (some even expressed blatantly anti-Black sentiments), Italian recording companies were eager to capitalize on the Black musicians’ overwhelming popularity to bolster the country’s music industry, echoing Italy’s colonial exploitation of Black bodies before and during fascism. Lastly, I observe how Black American, African, and Black European musicians were received differently by the Italian press in ways that often obscured Italy’s history of colonialism, and, as was the case for Lara Saint Paul, Black Italian musicians’ Blackness (Brioni and Brioni 2018). Ultimately, this article offers insight into the musical dimensions of Italy’s postwar negotiations of race, international politics, and (anti-)Blackness.

The rapid digital transformation of higher vocational education has created new opportunities and challenges for music programs, necessitating innovative approaches to talent cultivation. This review examines the integration of arts and sciences ("art-science integration") in vocational music education, highlighting pedagogical theories, digital frameworks, and current trends. It explores project-based learning, collaborative industry partnerships, and personalized learning pathways leveraging AI, VR/AR, and digital music technologies. The review also analyzes benefits, including enhanced creativity, technical competence, and industry readiness, alongside challenges such as faculty digital literacy, resource constraints, and resistance to interdisciplinary teaching. Recommendations focus on curriculum innovation, faculty development, industry collaboration, and infrastructure investment, while future research directions emphasize assessment strategies, long-term outcomes, and scalable models of integration. Three illustrative tables compare traditional and digitally transformed teaching methods, present examples of integrated courses, and provide a SWOT analysis of art-science integration. Overall, this review demonstrates that integrating digital technologies and interdisciplinary approaches is essential for preparing vocational music students to thrive in a technology-driven, rapidly evolving music industry, fostering both artistic excellence and technical proficiency.

Statement of the poblem. The development of modern vocal art is accompanied by an expansion of the spectrum of performance techniques, among which a significant place is occupied by “twang – a focused resonance that allows you to enhance the timbre brightness and helps reduce the load on the vocal folds, which explains its demand in the genres of pop, jazz and musical singing, as well as its use in classical vocal school. The article is devoted to the analysis of the place and role of the twang technique in modern vocal art and its understanding in scientific and creative practice. The study highlights the essence of this phenomenon as a sound production technique that affects the timbre and health of the performer’s vocal apparatus. The relevance of the article’s issues is due to the lack of teaching this technique in higher education institutions of the artistic direction, which limits students’ access to modern vocal techniques. Objectives, methods and novelty of the research. The purpose of the article is to outline the features of the use of twang in world practice and to justify the need for its integration into domestic vocal pedagogy curricula. The scientific novelty of the proposed work lies in the systematization and generalization of knowledge about twang, which constitute the substantive field of modern scientific discourse in the context of existing vocal traditions and pedagogical approaches. The method of comparative analysis helps to recognize the differences between different vocal traditions and teaching methods. Within the framework of the systemic approach, twang is considered as an element of a holistic vocal system that interacts with physiological and acoustic factors. The key in the article is the generalization method for systematizing different approaches to the use of twang in vocal practice, which allowed us to identify its key functions and emphasize its pedagogical value. Research results. Based on the sources studied, it was established that twang functions as a controlled sound extraction technique, provides focused resonance, helps reduce vocal load and increase sound projectivity. The experience of studying twang has been systematized, covering both leading Western methods (Estill Voice Training, Complete Vocal Technique) and individual Ukrainian scientific research. Conclusion. Thus, twang is not only an effective performing technique, but also an object of multidisciplinary research, which already has a stable scientific status in the world discourse. The importance of expanding the methodological base of vocal teaching is emphasized, which will contribute to increasing the competitiveness of Ukrainian performers in the world music industry.

ABSTRACT Objective The study aims to examine how the national musical heritage can be used in combination with the global musical platforms to solve the problem of the cultural identity crisis. Methods The study adopts a mixed-method research design where a total of 500 participants participated, including 400 music industry professionals and 100 cultural experts. The participants were selected through purposive sampling techniques. Findings and Results Findings pointed out cultural dialogue, marginalized cultures, and cross-cultural exchange as the most significant constructs in heritage integration. Cultural homogenization was of concern to professionals (avg. rating 4.10), as well as a lack of representation of heritage on international platforms (2.75). The main issues were related to commercial pressures (37.5%), lack of infrastructure (30%), and limited support from digital platforms (25%). Novelty Through analyzing the issues and possibilities of the indigenous musical forms in the digital environment, the present study will contribute to a novel understanding of maintaining cultural authenticity and promoting global expression. Conclusion In conclusion the research recommends that the incorporation of national musical heritage into global music platforms will promote cultural pride, representation of marginalized cultures, and a build-up of cross-cultural communication in the digital era.

Abstract Music identification is crucial for distributing royalties in the music industry. This problem is solved using Audio fingerprinting (AFP) algorithms. However, these methods often struggle in real-world scenarios such as TV broadcasting, when music is in the background, masked by other sounds such as speech. While prior research has focused on improving AFP robustness to pitch and tempo variations, less attention has been given to enhancing robustness for background music identification. In this work, we assess whether source separation systems improve background music identification by recovering the music signal in these recordings. We present the first extensive study comprising 13 source separation algorithms and five AFP models. We evaluate them on a public dataset of TV recordings, assessing both music identification performance and computational cost. Our results show that source separation substantially improves peak-based AFP identifications, particularly when music is in the background. Additionally, this finding extends to foreground music, making the approach versatile for various music identification tasks, such as query-by-example. Deep learning-based model NeuralFP* (tailored for background music identification) shows no substantial benefit from adding a separation model as preprocessing. This reproducible study provides a comprehensive evaluation framework, offering valuable insights into using source separation methods to improve music identification in real-world contexts.

Today, Artificial Intelligence enabled computers, devices, bots, robots etc. are much more sophisticated with enhanced capabilities, with features like machine learning and potential for deep learning, with patters similar to neural networks in human brains, and it is claimed that Artificial Intelligence far exceeds human intelligence in some specific tasks, especially the ones involving computations. The use of Artificial Intelligence has significantly increased in most sectors of the economy, e.g. industrial robots are commonly being used in manufacturing units. Skilled robots are rendering their services in hospitals and restaurants. Sophisticated technology is being used in medical and healthcare sector where Artificial Intelligence enabled robots or machines are performing surgeries. Significant financial trading is being carried out by use of Artificial Intelligence. The music industry is witnessing music being created by Artificial Intelligence. Weaponry is being enabled with Artificial Intelligence. Lawyers and law firms in some of the developed nations are using Artificial Intelligence enabled products to review voluminous documents for purposes of discovery and/or due diligence, filing taxes, etc. and there are several legal expert systems which have been developed to assist lawyers and judges. The rapid advancement of technology, including drones, driverless and autonomous vehicles, has indeed transformed our world. However, the legal landscape in the world, particularly India, is still catching up with these developments. The legal systems need to evolve to address the concept of legal personhood of A.I. and determine the liability for harm or injury caused by A.I. enabled devices. In this paper, the author will attempt to explore some of the most important legal issues including but not limited to personhood/ autonomy/ agency or whether A.I. can be treated as a subject under the law. The author will also briefly discuss the question and nature of liability to be imposed in the event use of A.I. results in harm or injury to human beings.

Musical works are objects of Copyright which have legal protection regulated by Law Number 28 of 2014 concerning Copyright. One of the copyright conflicts that exists in the music industry is the conflict between Ahmad Dhani and Once Mekel where Ahmad Dhani, Once Mekel's teacher, performed a song from the Dewa 19 Band while Dewa 19 was on tour, Once Mekel also did not pay royalties to Ahmad Dhani as the owner of the song. the song Dewa 19 sung by Once Mekel. This research aims to determine the relevance of the contents of the copyright law articles and the obligations of performers to songwriters. This research uses a normative juridical method with an analytical approach. The research results showed that Once had violated the provisions because it did not have a license agreement. Then perpetrators who do not pay royalties to creators through LMKN are subject to fines and sanctions. Based on the research results, it shows that legal protection for song copyright holders is accommodated in Law No. 28 of 2014 concerning Copyright. Legal protection of song copyright is an effort to guarantee the certainty of the rights of song copyright holders, whether in the form of moral rights or economic rights. Song copyright protection can be carried out in preventive and repressive ways. Regarding the settlement of Ahmad Dhani and Once Mekel, it was ultimately resolved through a non-litigation settlement through mediation.