Textbook
There are many books about the music industry. The challenge for each author is to remain relevant, since this business is changing at an ever-increasing rate. By the time a book has been written, edited, printed, advertised, distributed, purchased, and read, much of the information is out of date and new trends are left out. The reason that we chose to work with Kendall Hunt is due to their rapid development cycle, and the ability to put out electronic versions and a new edition whenever one is needed, and to create a series of editions each covering a different region of the United States. The book's companion website makes it possible to add updates in response to the most important developments.
We decided to write this book for anyone else interested in having a condensed survey of the music industry, combined with information on specific regions in the United States that other books don’t cover. The music business is a network of interdependent industries including songwriting, performance, engineering, design, marketing, promotion, and merchandising. It has multiple layers, beginning with an artist at home, going out to explore the local scene on their own, working with an indie label to tour regionally, and ultimately signing with a major label to emerge on the national and international scene.
Each chapter concludes with suggestions for further investigation, DIY activities, and vocabulary definitions. This website is the companion for the book and has updates and links to the resources discussed in the book along with supplemental material. The interviews conducted with industry professionals relate to the topics presented in a number of different chapters.
We hope this book can help you understand how the record industry affects your taste in music, and open avenues of exploration if you want to broaden your musical horizons. If you are interested in pursuing a career in music and entertainment, especially in a specific region of the country, it should make you more aware of your options and ways to get involved.
+Robert Willey
Each chapter concludes with suggestions for further investigation, DIY activities, and vocabulary definitions. This website is the companion for the book and has updates and links to the resources discussed in the book along with supplemental material. The interviews conducted with industry professionals relate to the topics presented in a number of different chapters.
We hope this book can help you understand how the record industry affects your taste in music, and open avenues of exploration if you want to broaden your musical horizons. If you are interested in pursuing a career in music and entertainment, especially in a specific region of the country, it should make you more aware of your options and ways to get involved.
+Robert Willey
