Term Project – Final Paper Posted

My term paper explores the past, present, and future of music distribution. It details the supervening social necessities that spurred the development of various technologies, including the phonograph, radio, magnetic cassette, audio compact disc, music download services, streaming music services, and the cloud.

This work also addresses the concept of dematerialization. As music distribution formats evolve from the physical to the intangible, some audiophiles are questioning whether their emotional value is compromised. By exploring innovations in this space over the past 135 years, we see a steady increase in consumers’ desire for compacting, immediacy, and customization. Thus, the richness of the experience is now more important than the product delivery method.

Source: Flickr Creative Commons, by photosteve101, November 18, 2010