The Road to Independence: the Independent Record Industry in Transition
Posted: February 14th, 2019 | Filed under: Calls for Papers | Comments Off on The Road to Independence: the Independent Record Industry in TransitionCall for Chapters
Editor : Victor Sarafian.
Publisher : Presse de l’Université Toulouse 1 Capitole
Proposal submission: 1 July 2019
Full chapters due: 1 December 2019
We are inviting proposals for a book-length essay collection on all aspects of the independent record industry… it’s past, present and future prospects. Technology has changed how music is produced, distributed and consumed. From the advent of the gramophone to the advent of napster, technology has shaped the economic and cultural aspects of the music industry.
At the turn of the last century, the future of record labels looked bleak. The rapid development of the internet threatened to cut out the middleman between band and fan. At the click of the mouse, fans could download music for free. More and more bands started to use platforms such as Youtube and Myspace to promote their music. A new do-it-your-self culture was gaining momentum. Examples of artist leaving their labels were making headlines and new business models were emerging.
As artists were experimenting with new business models, the majors were quite slow to react to a rapidly changing music industry blaming the internet for the woes the industry was facing. One of the ways in which the majors did react was to consolidate through a number of buy-outs and mergers. In less than two decades, the number of major labels has decreased from six to three
Although the major labels still continue to dominate the music industry, independent labels along with their artists are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping the future of the industry.
Recommended Topics
Themes may include but are not confined to:
- Technology and music production, distribution and consumption.
- Nationwide studies of the independent sector
- Case studies of particular indie labels
- Relationships between indies and majors
- Historical analysis of the role of indies
- Case studies of artists who have become “completely” independent
- Do-it-yourself culture
- Copyright and digital technology
- Fan-funding
Submission Procedure
Researchers are invited to submit a 400-word abstract explaining the scope and topic of their chapter and a short biography. Deadline: 1 June 2019.
Authors of proposals will be notified by 30 June 2019 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters must be submitted by 1 December 2019.
Submit to: [email protected]