We D Rather Fight Than Switch: Music Industry In A Time Of Change

To understand how this phenomenon matters to the public, one must also recognize and identify the change occurred to the third party of this conversation: consumers. The development and commercialization of internet allowed people to freely download or upload music as digital file online. This act, also known as music piracy, created an option that allows consumers to listen to music other than purchasing artists’ albums. And when carrying this action out, consumers justify their action by criticizing the inflated music market. Consumers consider downloading illegal files online as “a revolt against over-priced and inferior products” states Harlan Spotts, the writer of “We'd Rather Fight Than Switch: Music Industry in a Time of Change” (Spotts

In their article, they suggest that the most notable difference that occurred in the music industry due to the change in technology is the shift of the industry “from a product to a service business model” (Perry, Bustinza and Vendrell-Herrero 320). The increased availability of different products has switched “from value creation to value co-creation, where the consumer has an important role” (Perry, Bustinza and Vendrell-Herrero 322). Their argument which includes consumers as the solution to the problem of the current music industry coincides with that of Peitz and Waelbrock. Recalling the aforementioned case of Kanye West’s song which was spotlighted after years it was released, one must note that the YouTube video which included the song was created not by the label or the artist, but by one of the many consumers in the market. Consumers now have greater power than they did before, and their influence in the market is shown through the fluctuation of music sales when their interruption in the market is evident. Consequently, not only the boundary between labels and artists but also that between producers and consumers are

Nor is the purpose of this essay to identify the successful marketing strategy. Wade Johnston earned success through methods others have not thought of. As evident from his case, there are more than one way to successfully sell oneself in the market, and it is producers’ job to find such method that fits with their situations. As for consumers, it is imperative to recognize the huge portion of the industry that is being neglected. This is a critical loss not only to the neglected producers but also to the consumers because consumers may not be receiving the service, or music, they want that is already out in the