American Popular Music and Its Business in the Digital Age

As the long awaited sequel to American Popular Music and Its Business: the First 400 Years, this book offers a detailed and objective history of the evolution and effect of digital technology from 1985 through 2020 on all segments of the popular music business from CDs and stadium tours to TikTok and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on the relationship between the creators, the consumers, and the business professionals who form the three major axes of the industry. Author Rick Sanjek, a 50-year industry veteran, combines the knowledge acquired during his decades of experience with scholarly research to create a compelling narrative of the events, economics, and innerworkings of the modern music business.

Rick Sanjekis a former BMI Vice President of writer/publisher relations, national trustee and chapter president of theRecording Academy®, A&R director at Atlantic Records, artist manager, independent publisher,label operator, and currently licensing consultant.He learned the music business basics working directly with five Hall-of-Fame mentors: BMI's Frances Preston; Atlantic Records' Jerry Wexler; the incomparable Willie Nelson; legendary Sun Records producer, publisher, and songwriter Jack Clement; and producer, label owner, and steel guitar legend Pete Drake. Over his career he has worked as a producer, music supervisor, publisher, songwriter, and/or licensing consultant on hundreds of music, film, and television projects.

Preface
Acknowledgments
Illustrations
Contents
Prologue
Part One: 1985 to 1995
Chapter One: The Game of Musical Thrones
Chapter Two: Records, Retail, Radio, and the Charts that Bind Them
Chapter Three: Publishing, Copyright, Legislation, and Litigation
Chapter Four: The Creators of Music: Getting Paid
Chapter Five: The Consumer: From Whom, How, and Where the Money Flows
Part Two: 1996-2006
Chapter Six: From Big Six to Big Four
Chapter Seven: Digital Technology Rocks the Record/Radio/Retail Relationship
Chapter Eight: Publishing, Copyright, Legislation, and Litigation
Chapter Nine: The Creators' Side of the Money Equation
Chapter Ten: Emergence of the Digital Consumer: 1996-2006
Part Three: 2007 to 2019
Chapter Eleven: The Game of Musical Thrones: Riding the Digital Wave
Chapter Twelve: Records, Radio, Retail, Streaming, and the Charts
Chapter Thirteen: Publishing and Copyright: The Digital Effect
Chapter Fourteen: The Creators: A Bigger Piece of a Bigger Pie
Chapter Fifteen: The Consumer: Leading the Digital Transition
Epilogue: 2020--Into the Future
Acronyms
Bibliography
Index