Sonic Boom: Inside The Raging Battle For The Soul Of Music - Hardcover

Alderman, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0738204056 ISBN 13: 9780738204055

Publisher: Basic Books, 2001

Synopsis

Digital compression technologies such as MP3 and Napster are having an explosive impact on the way music is distributed. Every day, hundreds of thousands of music files are searched for, shared, recorded, and listened to by computer and Web users-all free of charge. It's a boon for consumers and a disaster for record companies, and the end result can be nothing less than a cultural and economic transformation. Sonic Boom is a fascinating narrative of the controversy that's sending shock waves through the music industry. It's the story of musicians such as the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy, who are reaching fans without record company support; entrepreneurs who are distributing MP3 files without licensing agreements; and record-industry executives who are fighting for their business at every turn. It reveals how, even as the star-maker machinery of record companies remains in the hands of the old guard, innovators are finding ways to outsmart it. Peopled with a sensational cast of characters that includes rock stars, music moguls, teenagers, and Internet entrepreneurs, Sonic Boom exposes the recording industry's plight as a fascinating microcosm of the vast cultural, ethical, and legal issues that all industries face in the information age.

About this title

Review

‘An important book for anyone interested in where our culture is headed.’ Mark Simpson, Independent on Sunday

‘There’s unlikely to be a better tool than this book for understanding what's been going on.’ Francis Spufford, Evening Standard

From the Back Cover

'The first book to tell the inside story of the battle for control over the future of music which has made headlines around the world.'

As the internet grew throughout the 90s, software was developed, such as Liquid Audio and MP3, that could deliver music anywhere and most importantly for free. Bands were reaching fans without record company support; entrepreneurs made money distributing digital music files without licensing agreements; the music industry executives complained of piracy and refused to embrace the Information Age.

With the growth of Napster, invented by the nineteen-year-old Shawn Fanning and launched in 1999, the demand for on-line music exploded. Millions of fans exchanged their favourite music with others for free. The response from the music industry was seismic – rocks stars disowned the fans who had downloaded their music while others celebrated the new relationship. Although acquired by Bertelsmann in 2000 and offering a subscription service rather than free music, the music industry is still violently opposed to all Peer-to-Peer transactions and are using any possible method to close down Napster.

‘Sonic Boom’ is immaculately researched and peopled by the musicians, executives, entrepreneurs and programmers behind one of the most vital questions concerning the Information Age: who owns intellectual content on the web?

Edition details

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0738204056
• ISBN 13: 9780738204055
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224