This isn’t the first time the music industry has been faced with a potentially existential threat in the Digital Age.
Back in 1999, during the height of a period of astronomical growth in the industry, Shawn Fanning and his team of hackers turned the industry upside down when they launched Napster, a file-sharing computer service that allowed users to download and share music without compensating the holders of music rights.
Despite the establishment eventually forcing Napster to shut down after two years of legal action, a string of other online-piracy services emerged soon after. And as soon as one service was taken down, other new services sprung up like stubborn weeds.
While the industry would eventually bounce back after a decade of rampant piracy that saw music sales plummet, the…
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Sunday Independent (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2023-04-23