Competition Policy and the Music Industries: A Business Model Perspective

This book examines the nature of the music industries before and after the digital revolution, arguing that updated competition design is needed to promote consumer welfare and competition. It offers a comprehensive history of encounters between the music industry and antitrust and regulatory authorities, showing how consolidation has occurred with little regulation. The book applies business model literature to antitrust law in the context of the music industries and offers new analytical and methodological tools to foster innovation and safeguard consumer interests.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 186 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate nature of the music industries, both before and after the digital revolution, from the perspective of the consumer. It explores the crucial question of whether competition policy intervention is necessary in these industries, given their historically consolidated environment and rapidly evolving business models in the twenty-first century. The author argues that there is a pressing need for updated competition design to promote consumer welfare and foster competition in these markets. By opening a much-needed interdisciplinary dialogue across music studies, business, and law, the book applies business model literature to antitrust law in the context of the music industries. It offers a comprehensive historical account of encounters between the music industry and antitrust and regulatory authorities in the US, UK, and EU, spanning from the payola scandals of the 1950s to the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster in 2010. This historical analysis demonstrates how, even as the business models in the industry have undergone significant transformations, the music industries have consistently pursued consolidation, with minimal regulation.

Drawing on this rich history, the book examines how competition policy can foster innovation and safeguard consumer interests in the future of the music markets. It provides new analytical and methodological tools that are relevant to scholars studying the music industries from business, legal, and cultural perspectives. This book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics of the music industries and the role of competition policy in shaping their future.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032118789