Music industryCreation and selling of musicMusicians working in a recording studio in 2010An audience watching The Proclaimers at Towersey Festival, 2018The music industry are individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, represent and supply music creators.
Recording contractLegal agreement between a record label and a recording artist A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording act (artist or group), where the act makes an audio recording (or series of recordings) for the label to sell and promote.
Music publisherA music publisher is a type of publisher that specializes in distributing music. Music publishers originally published sheet music. When copyright became legally protected, music publishers began to play a significant role in the management of composers' intellectual property. Today, music publishers license compositions, collect royalties, and make sure songwriters and composers are paid when their work is used.
Music videoVideo featuring a performance of a song A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. These videos are typically shown on music television and on streaming video sites like YouTube, or more rarely shown theatrically.
Artists and repertoireArtists and repertoire (A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for scouting, financing, and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists and songwriters. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label or publishing company. ResponsibilitiesFinding talentThe A&R division of a record label is responsible for finding new recording artists and bringing those artists to the record company.
Sound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording.
BrandIdentification for a good or serviceApple Inc. was the world's most valuable brand in 2024 according to Brand Finance.The Coca-Colawordmark is a distinctive brand logo used to attract the attention of people attending a sporting event, or watching it on television.A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers.
RadioRadio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connected to an antenna which radiates the waves. They can be received by other antennas connected to a radio receiver; this is the fundamental principle of radio communication.
TrademarkA trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or combination thereof that identifies a product or service from a particular source and distinguishes it from others. Trademarks also extend to non-traditional marks like drawings, symbols, 3D shapes like product designs or packaging, sounds, scents, or specific colors used to create a unique identity.CopyrightLegal concept regulating rights of a creative workA copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive legal right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. Copyright is intended to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work, but not the idea itself.
ManufacturingManufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of the secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high-tech, but it is most commonly applied to industrial design, in which raw materials from the primary sector are transformed into finished goods on a large scale.
Distribution (marketing)Distribution is the process of making a product or service available for the consumer or business user who needs it, and a distributor is a business involved in the distribution stage of the value chain. Distribution can be done directly by the producer or service provider or by using indirect channels with distributors or intermediaries. Distribution (or place) is one of the four elements of the marketing mix: the other three elements being product, pricing, and promotion.List of streaming media servicesA streaming media service is an online provider that allows users to watch or listen to content, such as films, TV series, music, or podcasts, over the Internet. Instead of downloading the content to a media device, users can stream it in real-time, which means they can start watching or listening immediately without having to wait for the entire file to download.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.