Future Of Music pointed me to a report (Adobe PDF) by NARAS Recording Academy's Interactive Advisory Board. The report addresses changes in the industry set in motion by the wide adoption of digital technologies in the areas of music production, distribution, and performance. It's an interesting, albeit long, read. A couple choice exerpts:

In the 50 years since commercial rock ‘n’ roll was born, everything about music has changed, from the way it’s made to what it sounds like to how it’s marketed and sold. The most dramatic difference, however, has perhaps come in the last decade. Spurred by the introduction of the Internet, the act of discovering music and, subsequently, sharing it, have evolved in ways artists, record companies and listeners never imagined. Gone are the days of walking over to a friend’s house with a stack of vinyl long-playing records under your arm—a deeply personal, one-on-one experience that, often, ended in generating a future sale. Today, connecting with music happens in an instant, involves an incomprehensible number of people, and a method that’s nearly impossible to trace.

Like many times before in its history, the music industry is at a crossroads. Faced with declining album sales and a public that lives—but doesn’t always buy—online, the traditional brick and mortar model, which has weathered its share of technological innovations (from 8-tracks to tapes to compact discs), can no longer function as it was designed; at least not for profit. At the same time, consumers are battling music providers with issues centered on perception (the perceived greed of record companies and the perceived wealth of popular artists) and one undeniable reality: that acquiring music is easy and, depending on where you are getting it, free. While the conscience may debate the act of illegal downloading, is it enough to steer the listener towards a legitimate purchase or is a legal threat necessary? If you are willing to pay, will you be able to own the music or will copy-protection software ostensibly mean you’re renting it?

It's nice to see parts of the industry finally coming to grips (publicly) with the reality of an net-connected fanbase, however, I feel compelled to point out this report was driven by the energy of a dozen-or-so 18-24 year olds. In other words, it wasn't the corporate geezers or middle-management flacks that were able to comprehend this cultural shift, let alone engage it meaningfully. This door was kicked open by the future.....the future of music.

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