The History of the Music Industry

The Music Industry, also known more often as The Recording Industry, consist of companies and individuals who make money by creating and selling live music performances (Festivals/Concerts), sound recordings and music video's involving themselves or their signed artists.

The Music Industry was the first to arrive amongst the digital world. Being the first Record Label in the world was in 1887, formed as the 'American Graphophone Company'. To this day 'American Graphophone Company', also known as 'Columbia Records' now, endures as the oldest label in the recording industry. Considering the very first Record Label had been set up in 1887, this comes to suggest just how far music has travelled. Including many new genres and the new inventions that allows the music to interact, in different forms, with those who love it.


The first means of personal interaction with instrumentals began with the invention of 'Vinyl Records' in the 1950s, when the inventor 'Ewing Dunbar Nunn' founded 'Audiophile Records' - label company. However the up-bring of 'Vinyl Records' was soon disclosed out of popularity with the new production for music, 'Cassette Players'.


'Cassette Players' became underproduction in 1962 by Philips. It was showcased at the Berlin Radio Show, with the trademark 'Compact Cassette'. With the upbringing of the 'Compact Cassette', it was gaining mass popularity therefore many similar 'Cassette Players' were in the making. These were able to breach out to a wider audience since this version was a portable speaker for all to hear. Establishing an attempt to have 'surround sound'.

 However it wasn't until 20 years later (1982) that the 'CD' began to commercially air, starring Billy Joels "52nd Street". Yet CD's never gain full popularity until a few years later, in the late 1980s.

Although by the 2000s, music brought to the surface of the internet and television - especially post 2005 - flushing out everyone who used 'CD's' and/or 'Cassette Players'. This now mean't people didn't need to go out to buy their music instead they can access their favourite songs and music video's in the comfort of their own home. Even though this seems like a good idea, many people began to illegally download and potentially distribute copies of the music to buyers. Therefore this would lose the composer or artist a mass amount of revenue.