What is Music Industry? Here is The History and Development

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FEMUSINDO.com - The music industry began in the late 19th century with Thomas Alva Edison's phonograph which paved the way for sound recording and distribution.

Edison's phonograph was first sold in 1877 and used sheets of tin foil wrapped around a grooved metal cylinder.

Edison filed a patent for the phonograph on December 24, 1877 and the patent was issued on February 19, 1878.

From Edison's phonograph, it was possible for people to listen to music anytime, anywhere, and for as long as they wanted, until finally the music industry emerged.

Subsectors of the Creative Industry

The music industry, a term that refers to all parties involved in the creation, performance, recording, promotion and management of the music business.

This industry can also be interpreted as individuals and organizations that earn money by making music their main source of income.

The music industry is a sub-sector of the creative industry related to the creation, composition, writing, creation, production, and marketing of a musical work.

The music industry, a realm consisting of a number of individuals and organizational entities that earn income through activities such as songwriting and music composition, production and sale of music recordings.

Then, the distribution of sheet music, the organization of concerts, and various organizations that provide support, training, representation, and provision for music creators.

Many Stakeholders in the Music Industry

Many stakeholders are active in this industry, such as songwriters and composers, singers, musicians, conductors, and bandleaders, to record labels and music publishers.

There are also recording studios, music producers, audio engineers, retail and digital music stores, and entities that focus on performance rights with the production and sale of recordings and music scores.

In addition, there are booking agents, promoters, music venues, road crews, and audio engineers who assist in the arrangement and sale of concerts.

The Music Industry Involves Various Professionals

The music industry also involves various professionals who support the music careers of singers and musicians, such as talent managers, artist and repertoire managers, business managers, and entertainment lawyers.

There are also parties involved in broadcasting music content through audio or video media, including satellite, Internet radio stations, broadcast radio and television stations.

Not to be missed, music journalists, music critics, DJs, music educators and teachers, as well as manufacturers of musical instruments and musical equipment also make significant contributions.

Meanwhile, organizations, unions, institutions, and other associations also play a role in advocating for female composers and musicians.

The Most Vital Product in the Music Business

The emergence of the modern Western music industry occurred around the 1930s to 1950s, where recordings began to replace sheet music as the most vital product in the music business.

In the commercial realm, the term "recording industry" is often used as a loose synonym for "music industry," referring to recordings of song performances and musical works and the sale of records in general.

In the 2000s, most of the music market control was held by three major corporate labels: Universal Music Group from France, Sony Music Entertainment from Japan, and Warner Music Group from the United States.

Not only that, independent labels, or what are known as "indie," also play an important role in the music industry.

Meanwhile, the dominance of the live music market for concerts and tours is held by Live Nation, which is the largest promoter and owner of music venues.

Live Nation itself is a former subsidiary of iHeartMedia Inc, the largest owner of radio stations in the United States.

Digital Music Distribution Through the Internet

In the first decade of the 21st century, the music industry underwent a significant transformation with the expansion of digital music distribution through the Internet.

This music distribution via the Internet includes the practice of illegally sharing song files and legally purchasing music through digital music stores.

This change emerged through the trend of music sales, which have experienced a substantial decline since 2000 while the need for concerts has increased.

Internet-Based Digital Platforms

In 2011, the world's largest recorded music retailer transitioned to an internet-based digital platform operated by Apple Inc.'s online technology company iTunes Store.

Since then, the music industry has continued to experience consistent sales growth, especially through streaming services that now generate more revenue per year than digital downloads.

Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music are the leaders in streaming services by number of subscribers worldwide. (*)