The emergence of the internet has had countless consequences on the music industry. Prior to the widespread use of the web, the conventional form of listening to music involved purchasing CD's from stores such as BestBuy and physically putting the CD into a radio of some sort. Those days are deteriorating, although not completely gone, as the music industry has shifted its focus to the internet.
This shift has occurred over the past decade or so, starting with programs such as Napster or Kazaa, that allowed music to be downloaded straight over the internet. Although it suffered some trouble at first, via problems with artist's rights and piracy, the idea of online music has only been expanded on. In the years following Napster and Kazaa, we saw the proliferation of iTunes, using the iPod to make online music portable and convenient. Now, everything from MySpace to YouTube can be used to listen to music and survey new artists. It is safe to say that the internet has provided a dynamic playing field for musicians and, a whole new level of convenience for music enthusiasts.
Now, according to www.wired.com (a website and magazine that chronicle all things happening in the music world), the internet is at it again, this time providing a way for music listeners to watch live shows on the web. In the article "MTV Could Break the Live Online Music Deadlock", author Eliot Van Buskirk documents how MTV is forging its way into the live online music world. According to Buskirk, MTV has launched a Live from NYC concert series that uses live internet streams to provide web users with a front-row seat to the show. As of May 2010, "MTV.com has streamed live concerts from Gorillaz, Honor Society, Ashlyne Huff, Just Kait, K’naan and Wale, Motion City Soundtrack and Never Shout Never," (Buskirk).
The progress that MTV is showing in the live online music realm represents another monumental contribution that the internet is making to the music world. Just as albums have primarily transferred into the digital world, now live shows are moving over as well. Hopefully the difference will be that these internet streams do not actually take the place of live shows; rather they can serve as a backup plan for people not able to attend the real performances. For instance, wouldn't it be cool if a good act was coming to town, that for whatever reason you couldn't make it to, so instead you just pull it up on your computer screen while doing whatever else it is you had to do. It certainly wouldn't be the same as being there but, it sure is a lot better than missing the show entirely. Also, live online streams would make it possible to see concerts from all parts of the world and not just in your city. On any given night I could see my favorite band playing in Japan, all from the comfort of my living room. The possibilities of live online streams are endless and hopefully they will come to represent another positive merging of the musical and digital worlds.
Read more:
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/05/mtv-could-break-the-live-online-music-deadlock/
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