iTake-Over
The Recording Industry in the Streaming Era
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:23rd Jun '20
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£35.00(9781793623027)
This book, iTake-Over, argues that major record labels have actually strengthened their market position in the digital era, contrary to popular belief.
In iTake-Over, sociologist David Arditi presents a compelling argument that challenges the prevailing narrative surrounding the impact of digital music on major record labels. Contrary to the claims made by the Recording Industry Association of America, Arditi contends that these corporations have strategically embraced digital technology to enhance their profits rather than diminish their power. This updated edition delves into the transitions from the download era to the streaming era, illustrating how large corporations have adeptly appropriated new technologies to maintain their dominance within a capitalist framework.
The second edition of iTake-Over critically examines the ways in which the recording industry has fortified copyright laws to serve its interests, often at the expense of the public good. Arditi expands the discussion by challenging the commonly held belief that digital music has weakened the hold of major record labels. Instead, he highlights how these companies have adapted to the digital landscape, finding themselves in a more advantageous financial position than before the rise of platforms like Napster.
Arditi's analysis reveals the tangible effects of digital distribution on the music industry, emphasizing the reduced production and distribution costs that have contributed to the resurgence of major labels. Rather than simply resisting change, the RIAA and these corporations have redefined their strategies to thrive in the evolving market, raising important questions about the legitimacy of their claims to profitability over a shared cultural experience.
A decade ago, the music recording companies argued that illegal downloading was destroying their industry. Arditi provides evidence that the major record labels are in a stronger position financially and politically now than prior to the digital revolution. Additionally, rather than being a passive victim of technology, the major firms have actively influenced the direction of change. . . The author predicts that the price of streaming services will increase in the future, and that music playlists will be based on consumer mood and activities, and furthermore that the negative impact of these changes on culture will be profound. Though this new edition was completed prior to the pandemic restrictions, which have dramatically impacted all segments of the economy, it remains relevant and is highly recommended reading for all those interested in the future of the music industry. Highly recommended. All readers. * Choice Reviews *
In the first edition of iTake-Over, Arditi mapped the myriad ways that the music industry, claiming to be the victim of piracy, sought legal protection against file-sharing and bent the digital transformation to its bottom line. Six years on—a virtual lifetime in the digital world—he has updated his compelling analysis, adding new players to the debates over copyright and -left, and assessing the impact of streaming and subscription services on both the production and consumption of music. The result is critical reading for anyone with an interest in how the music industry has adapted to the digital 'revolution'; restructured the ways in which we produce, find, and listen to music; and expanded its market dominance.Nancy Weiss Hanrahan, George Mason University -- Nancy Weiss Hanrahan, George Mason University
David Arditi has done musicians and listeners as well as scholars of culture industries a real service by updating iTake-Over. In the past five years, streaming has come to dominate our experiences and analyses of the business of music, yet Arditi’s cogent account of the “piracy panic narrative” remains an authoritative critique of the record industry’s initial response to digitization. And while the bogey of file-sharing has come and gone, in this second edition, Arditi adds a detailed consideration of the political-economic stakes of music consumption’s reorganization from acquisition to access in the streaming era. -- Michael Palm, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
ISBN: 9781793623003
Dimensions: 229mm x 158mm x 20mm
Weight: 517g
214 pages
2nd edition