Digital distribution affects both the artists and audience. For major labels and independent labels it means audience can access their music for free and are also able to give their feedback on the music. Prosumers also use digital distribution to get their music and produce their music. Digital distribution has also meant that beck can use music produced by his audience and distribute it online. Digital distribution has meant that production, distribution and exchange have all blurred together in some way.
Major labels have been affected by the introduction of digital distribution as their music is now not only in shops but online on sites such as Spotify, Soundcloud and on iTunes. The marketing of major labels now being online means that they are less likely to get an income from selling their music, meaning the only way they can make money is through live performances. However, the major labels have had to adjust to this as if they do not 'connect' with the audience then they will 'die'. EMI are an example of a major label who did not adjust to the new ways of selling music and were shut down because they did not connect with the audience. Major labels distributing their music digitally is also an advantage for the audience as they can now access their music for free. They can also leave their feedback on the music meaning the record labels will be able to see what the audiences like and develop their music to their taste. Major labels also use TV to distribute their music. For example Sony uses the TV show X factor to promote their music and to find a new artist for their record label. Using X factor is a way of digitally distributing their music as they will only select the songs to be sung from their record label; this is called synergy. The audiences will then be interested in buying/listening to that old song again or the song sung by the contestant on X factor. Major labels can also use digital distribution to their advantage because mainstream audiences now care more about the appearance of the music rather than the music itself. Digital distribution will support this as with distribution such as YouTube or X factor it is all about the image. Therefore people will watch it even more as they care more for the visualisation than the music. This means these songs will then become more popular, may be bought and therefore making more money for Sony. Major labels are therefore affected by digital distribution in positive and negative ways. They can connect to their audience better and get feedback from them, however they are conclusively losing money as the audience rarely pay for their music.
Indie labels have effectively become more popular due to digital distribution. Using digital distribution the record label can now get their music more global, consequently gaining a bigger audience. Indie labels will then become more successful as their previous niche audience will become international. Audiences becoming more aware of indie labels also gives them more a varied choice of music rather than just mainstream. They can then give their feedback to the indie labels, shaping the future of the production of music from the indie label, similarly with the major label. The effect of digital distribution on indie labels is very similar to major record labels as their music is now less likely to get bought, however they can now get reviews and a more global market. Conclusively, indie label music has now become more worldwide thanks to digital distribution and therefore more popular. Audiences also now have a more varied choice of music and can also access indie label's music for free.
Prosumers have had a huge advantage thanks to digital distribution. Prosumers can now access major labels and indie label's music for free and recycle their music to create their own. Being able to access this music is also thanks to digital distribution as most music is now online on sites such as YouTube or Soundcloud. Prosumers can then create their own music using recycled music and distribute it on the sites where they found the music. Using digital distribution they can then get their music noticed and eventually gain a bigger audience. Madeon is an example of a prosumer which has been successful in his work and his created music from lots of other songs. When prosumers then upload their music online they can then get feedback from the audience and find out what they like, again shaping their future production. Prosumers are an example of how PDE have all been blended together, and this is all due to digital distribution.
DIY music has also had an advantage due to digital distribution. Beck is an example of a DIY music creator as he has written the music and then gives out the written music to his audience. With digital distribution Beck has been able to get the different creations of his music heard and therefore sell his music. People are then also more likely to hear of him and what he does and be interested in trying it for themselves, getting Beck more popular and obtaining a global audience. Beck's music shows how his audience produce his music, he then distributes it and gets feedback (Exchange) from the audience. Again, digital distribution is shown to have an effect on PDE as it has been blurred together.
In conclusion, digital distribution has affected marketing and consumption as the audience are now more involved. It has affected consumption because the audience can now access music for free, meaning prosumers can create more of their own music with little cost, and majors and indies have to connect more with their audience to allow them to take their music for free. Digital distribution also helps with the new idea of visualisation because music videos are now shown online and through TV, meaning those that are more interested in image will be satisfied with watching their music online. Audiences also become more involved as through digital distribution they can now give their feedback online, therefore shaping the future of production.
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