Week 11; Does The Music Industry Create The Market?

To evaluate this question, ideas concerning how the market we listen to is created needs to be addressed as without the music industry, there would be no music to be produced, yet the consumer literally consumes the music, therefore allowing the market to be popular. Henceforth, do the two ideologies need to work in conjunction with each other, in order to create the market? On the one hand, we can examine how, to a certain extent, the consumer creates the market; the audience are attracted to a certain type of music, knowing their likes and dislikes, consequently affecting the popularity of a song. However, we can argue how the audience needs the music industry in order for their market to be produced, through aspects of promotion on music television stations, cd’s, gigs, and so on. It can also be determined that the music industry controls the consumer, overplaying tracks on the radio, etc before the songs release date, as well as creating standardized songs which has proved popular before and will therefore be a sure hit.

As a result, it is not realistic to suggest that either one of these concepts control the market, as without one, the other cannot exist. The consumer depends on the music industry, as does the music industry on the consumer; the industry distributes the market, promoting it in all manner of ways, whilst the consumer digests it and helps its popularity. Yet, to a certain extent, I am more swayed to believe that the audiences control over the market, is greater than that of the industry; if the listeners do not like the market, it will prove unsuccessful, and the industry will produce another aspect, until the audience accept it. Therefore, the consumer’s role is far more important; they are the listeners who control the music scene.