Interpreting Industry Trends: Tunes, Tech, and Legal Tender

Catalog description

If you want to understand the music industry, you must accept, and lean into, the fact that it is a moving target that never ceases to evolve. Because of this, we can't merely study historical references, and we can't merely look at how things are today. We must familiarize ourselves with where the puck is going. -- Is artificial intelligence bringing a seismic shift to the worlds of songwriting and production? -- Is blockchain technology that allows for direct payments to creators removing the need for legacy industry intermediaries? -- As financial institutions accept music publishing as a nonspeculative investable asset, will creators change how they think about monetizing their work? This class will study the latest constructive and destructive disruptions in our industry through case studies and conversations with guests. We'll examine what's changing and what if any historical references can tell us about how things may shake out.