(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012)
Sumner, Bethany
The music industry is a useful case study for a broad range of emerging digital
products. Digital music can be stored and shared easily facilitating
free distribution among listeners. Recording, selling,
and marketing are more accessible, allowing artists to produce
music independently. While these trends seem to suggest a decentralized
model for music distribution, a few record labels
continue to dominate the industry. In this study, we survey
music consumers to better understand their needs and gauge
their attitude about various aspects of the music industry. We
use this information to outline the implications for the design
of future music consumer products.