Nowadays, music is more than art; it became an area of business. Such development is possible due to the expansion of digital technologies including MP3 music and Internet technologies. A number of world corporations have made billions of profits using digital technologies in music distribution among people. Nowadays, debates in mass media concerning the role of digital technologies in the development of modern music are rather heated. While most people in this debate express their opinion that the role of digital technologies in the development of music is positive, there exists a category of participants who argue that digital technologies kill the music affecting its quality and the concepts of its production and distribution. Overall, evaluating the arguments by the two parties, it is important to admit that both of them are right to a certain degree; my opinion is in having a balanced position towards the use of digital technologies in the music industry.
The debate around the real meaning of digital technologies for music production and distribution has become rather heated during the past decade (Messaris & Humphreys 2006). With the development of MP3 technology and Internet means of distribution, music became popular more than ever (Sterne, 2006). Besides, it appeared to be accessed easier than ever before. In the Internet, so many sites exist where it can be downloaded for free. Such state of affairs affects musicians and their welfare. Under the influence of the development of digital technologies, their incomes from album and single sales became scarce. As a result, the other means of raising money are to be developed by the musicians. In addition, digital technologies also affected the quality of music. Before, it was very easy to hear live music in plenty of cafes, music bars, concert halls, and so on. People went there to listen to music as they had no other options. Also, singers sang their songs to the accompaniment of live music of their musicians. However, today, live music becomes exotic as singers prefer the accompaniment of electric keyboards able to imitate the sounds of the most diversified range of instruments, and people do not spend their money on visiting performances which becomes the reason of closing music facilities. Many people share their opinion that electronic music seems to be artificial for them, and it does not bring them the satisfaction they had before. All in all, the debate about the use of digital technologies in music is rather heated.
Reflecting on the arguments by the two parties in the debate around digital technologies in music, it appears that both of them have their truth. The proponents of digital technologies are absolutely just when they say that MP3 and the Internet made a miracle in distributing music around people. Through the seemingly endless recourses of the Internet, the most diversified types of music became available for people from different countries and continents. Music lovers from all around the globe may have an access to the music they heard about, but could not find in their homeland. This difficulty is solved by the “almighty” Internet. In addition, digital technologies applied in music created the whole new area of business which offered vacant positions, and let people improve their material situation. More than that, global corporations including Apple made great fortune on the use of digital technologies such as i-Tunes. These are a few facts to show that digital era became very important for the development of music. The other side of the issue of using digital technologies in music production and distribution is in affecting the quality of music. Musicians have less interest in their activity as it seems to bring fewer profits; as a result, talented people choose the other areas of employment offering better incomes (McLeod, 2005). Live music is replaced by the sounds of electric instruments such as keyboard and DJs’ panels. All of that may significantly worsen the music even in the nearest future.
According to many specialists, the future of music is inseparably connected with the development of digital technologies (Garofalo, 1999; McLeod, 2005; Sterne, 2006). Implementing digital technologies in production and distribution of music is very convenient. Therefore, there are no grounds for doubting the future of digital technologies’ use in the area of music (Garofalo, 1999). The only issue which appears to be burning is in the way the quality of music will be affected by digital technologies.
In conclusion, the implementation of digital technologies in music production and distribution is our modern-day reality. However, a number of issues are raised in connection to the use of the Internet, MP3, and so on. A heated debate is observed in mass media concerning the positive and negative points of digital technologies for the future of music. Some state that such technologies should be limited in order to protect musicians, and the other state that the development of music depends on the development of digital technologies. My position concerning this debate is in being balanced. In particular, digital technologies should be widely implement in the area of music, but proper limits in their use should be developed.
References
Garofalo, R. (1999). From Music Publishing to MP3: Music and Industry in the Twentieth Century. American Music 17(3), 318-345.
McLeod, K. (2005). MP3s are Killing Home Taping: the Rise of Internet Distribution and its Challenge to the Major Label Music Monopoly. Popular Music and Society 28(4), 521-531.
Messaris, P., & Humphreys, L. (2006). Digital Media: Transformations in Human Communications. New York: Peter Lang Publishing.
Sterne, J. (2006). The MP3 as Cultural Artifact. New Media & Society, 8(5), 825-842.