COVID-19 had a global impact on health, communities, and the economy. As a result of COVID-19, music festivals, gigs, and events were canceled or postponed across the world. This directly affected the incomes and practices of many artists and the revenue for many entities in the music business. Despite this crisis, however, there are pre-existing trends in the music business the rise of the streaming economy, technological change (virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, etc.), and new copyright legislation. Some of these trends were impacted by the COVID-19 crisis while others were not.

This book addresses these challenges and trends by following a two-pronged approach: the first part focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on the music business, and the second features general perspectives. Throughout both parts, case studies bring various themes to life. The contributors address issues within the music business before and during COVID-19. Using various critical approaches for studying the music business, this research-based book addresses key questions concerning music contexts, rights, data, and COVID-19. Rethinking the music business is a valuable study aid for undergraduate and postgraduate students in subjects including the music business, cultural economics, cultural management, creative and cultural industries studies, business and management studies, and media and communications.

 

Dr. Guy Morrow is a Senior Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management at the University of Melbourne (Australia). His most recent book is Designing the Music Business: Design Culture, Music Video, and Virtual Reality (Springer, 2020). He is also the Director of Graduate Coursework in the School of Culture and Communication.

Dr. Daniel Nordgård is an associate professor at the University of Agder (Norway) and the author of the book The Music Business and Digital Impacts (Springer, 2018). He is the leader of the doctoral program specialization in popular music at the University of Agder and teaches music business and management at the masters level.

Dr. Peter Tschmuck is Associate Professor of Cultural Institutions Studies and head of the Department of Cultural Management and Gender Studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Austria). He is the organizer of the annual Vienna Music Business Research Days, editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Music Business Research, and president of the International Music Business Research Association (IMBRA).

1. Introduction.- Part I: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Music Business.- 2. Losing Work, Losing Purpose: Representations of Musicians Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19.- 3. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Incomes of Freelance Classical Musicians in Austria.- 4. Digital Transformation in the Music Industry: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Accelerated New Business Opportunities.- 5. Social Capitalising the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Portrait of Three Zimbabwean Female Musicians.- 6. The Shape of Clubs to Come: Exploring the Pandemics Impact on Live Music Venues in Germany.- 7. Jazz Festivals in the Time of COVID-19: Exploring Exposed Fragilities, Community Resilience and Industry Recovery.- Part II: The Music Business in General.- 8. StraightOutta Mumbai: Exploring Informality and Innovation in Dharavis Hip-Hop Industry.- 9. Optimisation of Musical Distribution in Streaming Services: Third-Party Playlist Promotion and Algorithmic Logics of Distribution.- 10. The Music Modernization Act: Mechanical Copyright in the Age of Music Streaming.- 11. Musical Aspirations and DIY/DIO Practices in Online Communities of Amateur Independent Filipino Songwriters.- 12. Market Readiness for the Digital Music Industries: A Case Study of Independent Artists.- 13. The Changing Role and Function of Music Charts in the Contemporary Music Economy.