How Steve Jobs Destroyed Music: Making Art Cheap and Disposable for Profit

Steve Jobs and Apple changed the music world, but at a high cost. The iPod and iTunes made music easy to access. Yet, they hurt the album format and led to digital piracy, harming many musicians and music workers¹.

After World War II, music thrived thanks to new recording tech and fair pay for artists¹. But Jobs and Apple’s digital push changed this, focusing on ease and profit over music’s true value².

As Apple’s leader, Jobs greatly influenced music. The iPod and iTunes Store brought digital music to the masses. But they also hurt the old music business models that had worked for years¹.

Key Takeaways

Steve Jobs and Apple played a pivotal role in the digital music revolution, leading to the decline of the album format and the rise of digital piracy.
The music industry’s well-established systems of royalties and artist compensation were disrupted by the shift to digital music, undermining the livelihoods of musicians and industry professionals.
The convenience and accessibility of digital music platforms prioritized profit over the intrinsic value of music as an art form.
The tech industry’s language of “innovation” and “disruption” obscured the underlying business motives of companies like Apple, which sought to extract maximum profit from the music industry.
The demise of the album format and the rise of digital piracy had a profound impact on the music industry, leading to significant changes in the way music is produced, distributed, and consumed.

The Global Wake: Examining the Cult of Steve Jobs

The world mourned Steve Jobs after his death, showing how much he was revered. This admiration turned into a steve jobs cult figure phenomenon. It made us wonder about his steve jobs legacy and the steve jobs tech visionary myth spread by media and tech.

Jobs was indeed a genius in business and innovation. Yet, he wasn’t seen as a “philosopher king” by all, as the media often suggested³. He was driven by power and profit, not by kindness or feelings.

Jobs’ Legacy: Innovation or Opportunism?

The idea that Jobs and the tech world were different from old business is false, the author says⁴. They were driven by profit, not by helping others. They were not “poets and artists” but businessmen looking to make money.

The Myth of the Tech Visionary

The steve jobs tech visionary myth was a carefully built image, the author believes⁵. It hid Jobs’ true goals and the tech industry’s true nature. This myth has stuck, thanks to the ongoing steve jobs global wake and his lasting impact on tech.

This look into the Steve Jobs cult and myths about him makes us question innovation and the tech industry’s values. It shows how powerful figures shape our tech world and manipulate public opinion.

Steve Jobs destroyed music

The music industry saw big changes in the early 2000s, thanks to Steve Jobs. The iTunes Music Store, launched in 2003, changed how we listen to music. This shift led to fewer album sales and more digital piracy⁶.

Artists and record labels found it hard to keep up with the digital world. This change had big effects on the industry.

The Downfall of the Music Industry

iTunes’ $0.99 single price hurt the music business. It broke albums into pieces, changing how music was sold⁷. Even though iTunes helped labels make money easily⁷, digital downloads and file-sharing hurt profits⁷.

By 2015, digital media sales dropped by 4% in the second quarter. For the first six months, sales fell by 5%⁶. The music world was struggling to keep up with new trends and technology.

The Rise of Digital Piracy and Streaming

Digital music downloads became cheap and easy, hurting the music industry. People wanted music that was cheap or free⁸. This led to less money for the industry and lower music quality⁸.

Streaming services like Beats Music and Apple’s service are popular⁶. But they haven’t brought in much money for most musicians. This makes the industry’s problems even bigger.

Steve Jobs made music cheaper and easier to get, but it hurt the industry⁶⁷⁸. The music world is still trying to adjust to these changes. It makes us wonder about the future of music and its value in today’s world.

The Golden Age of Recorded Music

Go back to the post-World War II era for a key moment in recorded music history – the golden age. This time saw a big leap forward, thanks to new audio tech. It allowed for top-notch recordings and the start of the album format⁹.

Music styles like big band and bebop grew, thanks to new songwriting teams and hit Broadway shows. The tech experts of the time worked hard to perfect their craft. They made some of the most famous recordings ever⁹.

The Post-War Renaissance in Music

The music world bounced back strongly after the war. Better recording gear and more money for the middle class led to a creative boom⁹. This era brought us influential artists, songwriters, and producers who shaped music forever.

The Birth of the Album Format

The album format we love today started during this time. Artists could share more than one song, creating a unified work. This change let musicians explore longer songs, stories, and themes, making music more engaging⁹.

The golden age was a turning point. It was where tech skills and musical creativity came together. This led to some of the most beloved music in history⁹.

The Disruption of the Digital Age

The music industry has changed a lot in the digital age. It faces both challenges and new chances. The three major labels – Universal Music, Sony Music, and Warner Music – made $14.2 million a day from streaming in the second quarter of¹⁰. This shows how important digital streaming has become.

The CD’s introduction in the 1980s and digital music’s rise changed everything. Easy piracy and free music online led to a big drop in CD sales¹¹. The industry tried to fight back with legal actions and copyright protections¹¹. But, it had to adapt to a new market where people want endless music for a fixed price¹⁰.

At first, digital downloads tried to make up for lost CD sales¹¹. But, they didn’t fully make up for the decline. In 2017, Sony’s SEC filing showed a rise in digital streaming revenues¹⁰. This marked a shift towards streaming as the main way people listen to music.

The music industry decline¹¹ got worse with Napster’s rise. It made sharing music easy, leading to free music sharing.
Steve Jobs’ iTunes store later turned into platforms like YouTube and Spotify. This changed the industry even more¹¹.
Streaming platforms have changed how music is shared¹¹. But, artists struggle with low streaming rates, affecting their earnings¹¹.
Interestingly, physical music media like vinyl albums¹¹ have seen a comeback. This shows that people still love holding music in their hands.

The digital age disruption¹⁰ has pushed the music industry to change and find new ways. Streaming is now the main way people listen to music. But, the industry still faces challenges from the decline in CD sales¹¹ and the effects of digital downloads¹¹ on its business.

Metric	Value
Streaming Music Revenue Growth (Q2 2017)	38.5% year-on-year¹⁰
Daily Streaming Revenue for Top 3 Labels (Q2 2017)	$14.2 million¹⁰
Napster Launch Date	June 1, 1999¹¹
Peak Album Sales Year	1999¹¹

The music industry’s ability to adapt and use new opportunities is key to its success. As it goes through this change, it must keep evolving and finding new ways to meet music lovers’ needs¹⁰¹²¹¹.

The Commodification of Art

In today’s digital world, the music industry has changed a lot. The rise of streaming and tech giants like Apple has made art more about money than creativity. This change has hurt musicians a lot, making it hard for them to make a living from their music¹³.

The Puritan Ethic and the Pursuit of Wealth

The idea that wealth is sacred comes from the Puritan ethic. This idea has spread to the tech world, seen in Steve Jobs’ push for the myth of the “personal” computer¹⁴.

Business talk has made us think tech companies help us, when they really want to make money. This has led to a world where art is seen as a product, not something that enriches our lives¹⁵.

The music industry faces big challenges in the digital age. We must fight the commodification of art to bring back its true value. Only then can we see a new era of creativity and a healthy music industry¹³.

Conclusion

Steve Jobs and the digital revolution he led have deeply changed the music industry. Apple’s iTunes Music Store, launched 10 years ago, sold one million downloads in its first week¹⁶. But, this shift to digital music has also led to a big drop in the global record industry’s revenue. It went from $38 billion to just $16.5 billion last year¹⁶.

Artists like Jon Bon Jovi miss the old days of physical albums. They remember fans holding the album and closing their eyes to listen¹⁷. Bon Jovi even blames Jobs for killing the music business¹⁸. This shows how the digital age has made music less meaningful.

The music industry must find ways to make art and music valuable again. We need to create a new demand for music. This might mean changing how the industry works, focusing more on the art than profit¹⁶. By doing this, we can honor Steve Jobs’ legacy and keep music meaningful in the digital age¹⁷¹⁸.

FAQ

How did Steve Jobs play a role in the downfall of the music industry?

Steve Jobs changed the music industry with iTunes and digital downloads. This led to fewer CD sales and more digital piracy. People started listening to music online for free, not buying albums.

What impact did the introduction of the CD and digital music technology have on the music industry?

Digital piracy made CD sales drop sharply. Streaming music is now common, but it doesn’t bring in much money for most musicians. This makes the music industry’s financial struggles worse.

How did Steve Jobs and the tech industry contribute to the commodification of art?

Steve Jobs and tech companies made people believe they were artists, not just businessmen. They wanted us to think they were improving our lives for profit. This made art seem cheap and disposable.

What was the “golden age” of recorded music, and how did it differ from the digital age?

The “golden age” was after World War II, when music technology improved a lot. It led to better recordings and the album format. This time was a music renaissance, but it’s lost now due to fast technological changes.

How has the tech industry used language and marketing to manipulate the public’s perception of their role?

Tech companies, led by Steve Jobs, used business talk to seem helpful. They made us believe they were improving our lives, not just making money. This myth has made us think tech is different from old business.