How the internet has changed the music industry

These internet has completely shook the music industry in almost every way possible, whether it be the reduced revenue because of illegal downloads or the way a band can be completely self sufficient with no binding contract.

This is a massive benefit to the consumer since it means people can listen to, and download, all of the songs they wish to from their own home. Furthermore due to the internet and services such as iTunes it has completely changed the way people will purchase music, whereas previously people would pay for CD's or tapes everything is now done electronically.

This has also helped artists that wish to begin selling their music, since it is relatively easy to get your songs onto iTunes as opposed to a shop selling CD's.

In many ways since the arrival of YouTube it has shifted a larger proportion of the power onto the artist as opposed to the music companies since bands can achieve so much success alone, without having to pay such a large proportion of money to the label.

In many ways it hasn't just changed it for the artists, but entire genres that were previously unknown have exploded since YouTube, two obvious examples are D'n'B and Dubstep since these were previously so hard to hear.