How The Internet has Affected the Music Industry.

When Tim-Berners Lee dreamt up the, then, crazy idea, of an inter-global network, I'm sure very few people had the same optimism in believing that it could happen in the future.

Over the last ten years, the Internet has evolved from just web pages to e-mail, to online gaming, to viewing sport and film previews, and to buying and downloading music online. The Internet has now become one of the music industry's greatest markets, estimated to reach over 25% of sales in five years. This may be true, yet the Internet is also one of the music industries greatest enemies.

For some years now online shopping has been available to anyone with a credit card and an Internet connection. E-commerce retailers such as Amazon.com sell everything from garden tools, to C.D's and mini-discs. It is only in the last couple years however, that online shopping has taken off. Before this the public and businesses alike had not been taking full advantage of this phenomenal asset, which has been proven to save companies millions.

Internet!

This NeXT Computer was used by Sir Tim Berners-Lee...

the lost brothers at british music industry latitu...

It was only with the creation of Windows 98 and other Internet programs that people were sure that their credit card numbers and personal details could not be viewed by another person, or 'hacked'. Once this huge hurdle was overcome, the way we used the Internet and the effect it had on the music industry had changed forever.

The close relationship between the Internet and the music industry has led to many dramatic revolutions. First of all it has changed the way in which we purchase music. It has also opened up a new medium for record companies and musicians to promote their music, and now consumers can listen to music via technology such as RealAudio. Also, with peoples Internet connections getting faster all the time, and...