The Global Music Industry: Three Perspectives, Book Review Example

Introduction

Recent research based studies and reports indicate that Arthur Bernstein, Naoki Sekine as well as Dick Weissman are some of the best music based music trainer and scholars in the United States of America. This is because they have written various literary and research-based papers that include music business, songwriting, as well as other record production systems.  Furthermore, a number reports indicate that Arthur Bernstein was born in America and is a professional musician dealing with various music types in various countries such as pop, jazz, blues and other folk-based music.  On the other hand, Naoki Sekine is a Japanese born scholar but he studied music at New York University.  There are various research-based reports and studies that support that Dick Weissman is a songwriter and has wide experience in studio work, record production, and other music business education systems.

Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to provide a book report, summary and review based on the “The Global Music Industry: Three Perspectives” book by Arthur Bernstein, Naoki Sekine and Dick Weissman. The book report will also provide and outline some of the strengths and weakness of the books.

“The Global Music Industry: Three Perspectives” by Arthur Bernstein, Naoki Sekine, and Dick Weissman

This book mainly outlines and provides a number of music business industry perspectives and viewpoints  from various countries  globally including in the United States, Spain, Japan, China, Singapore, and Korea among many other countries globally.  The authors of the book provide and describe various dynamics of the music business industry based on their wide music education backgrounds and experiences. This includes various government support issues as well as copyright and censorship factors that influence the current global music industry.  Furthermore, the book mainly focuses on the music business operations and activities in almost all continents globally including North America, Asia, and Europe. The major contents and topics covered in the book include music distribution, music sales and promotion practices, music censorship policies as well as the role of government in the music industry.[1] The book also provides research-based and informative information based on payment of performing rights, music unions, a number of music genres including jazz and folk music in various countries globally. In addition, music education, music demographic issues, music consolidation factors and other music agents and management practices are also discussed in the book. The book was published in late 2007 mainly to provide and improve guidance and marketplace issues concerning international music business operations and activities.  The introductory part of the book mainly analyzes the music business operations and activities in the United States. The book also outlines and describes the music business systems in Canada, in Latin America and other Caribbean based countries globally.  Moreover, the music business practices in Africa, Europe as well as Asia are also included in the book.

According to the book, the music industry in the United States of America involves the casual business environment. The book also supports that the music industry in Asia and European based countries are full of formal working relationships. The book also includes the importance of technological advancement towards the promotion of the global music industry. This includes the use of DVDs, CD-ROMs, the use of enhance compact disc as well as other digital and technological tools that are currently used in the global music industry. The book also illustrates how countries have evolved from the use of analog tools and techniques towards the current digital music operations.

The authors of the book argue that music recording in the past was very difficult and time-consuming. However, the introduction of different recording machines and tools has improved the global music industry operations.  Historically, the first best recording studios were based in cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, Paris and Los Angeles. This is because these cities had advanced levels of technology in the past and were mainly preferred by various artists in the society.  Rock and roll records are some of the earliest music records in the United States especially in the early 1960s.

In India, the major music systems in the early 1960s were mainly based on Bollywood movie practices and were mainly centered at Mumbai. The book also provides various indigenous music styles in various countries including Beatles music that was common in India. Rolling stones and led zeppelin music systems were mostly common in Middle East and North America according to this book.  Reggae music was mainly common in Jamaica, and various artists such as Chris Blackwell and Bob Marley form some of the legendary superstars of the Reggae music.  Rock and roll music was common in British rock bands. However, salsa music mainly originated from New York City according to this book.

In Germany, dance music was a popular brand and mostly includes electronic pop music styles and activities. There were also African American music styles that were highly valued in the United States as well as in other countries globally. The major African American music systems include the soul music, blues, and rap music.  The authors of the book also argues that the music industry is currently growing very first and has involved the introduction of new music systems such as Jamaican dancehall, American rap music as well as other Latin-based rhythmic music patterns.

The book also evaluates and outlines how music censorship in various countries globally is mainly based on political policies and procedures. For example, there are various government policies that usually discouraged a particular music style. This has been witnessed in a number of African countries such as Algeria and Nigeria among many other African countries. Music censorship policies have also been witnessed in South Africa especially where the government refused playing of music related to apartheid policies. This led to some South African based musicians such as Hugh Masekela to go into forced exile in the United States and England.  A number of global countries such as Chile, Brazil, china, Japan and Korea among various countries usually have music censorship policies.[2]  There are many music artists that have been censored based on political grounds in these countries. Furthermore, in countries such as Singapore the government has full control on what type of music that should be played on the radio.  Chinese media operations are also under full control of the government. Therefore, the book clearly indicates various government censorship policies that mostly undermine music operations in various countries globally.

Despite this, there are various government policies and support activities that have been developed in various countries in order to promote the local music industry. For example, in England the government usually supports music operations and activities in the country in order to promote youth employment. There are also various music policies in a number of countries globally that encourage local radio stations to play a high percentage of local music.  There are also various government efforts in various countries towards providing financial support to the music industry and other music education practices.

The book also illustrates and describes various music consolidation and mergers operations that mainly involved the distribution of music records in various countries globally. There are several music mergers and consolidation operations that have been established in various countries in order to promote the stability of music business operations. The book also illustrates and outlines various music labels and other global brand music based firms such as Sony, A, and M, MCA and RCA among many other music labels globally.  According to reports from the book, Korean IT firms are one of the best firms in the provision of digital music based recording tools and machines.

The authors of the book also provide and outline some of the technological changes that have influenced the music industry positively.  This includes the use of the internet based practices, YouTube and other music downloading procedures that have been developed due to high technological advancements in various countries globally.  There is also description of music copyrights systems in the book and how this has influenced the selling of various music brands globally.

According to the book, there are various negative effects of music record firm’s consolidation operations including loss of employee’s job opportunities.  Poor marketing of music brands is also another problem that is usually based on music firm’s consolidation practices.  The authors of the book also recognized the role of independent labels in the music industry and argue that independent labels such as reggae music, children music as well as gospel music and folk music are usually very easy to market in the global music operations.  In that sense, the authors of the book recommend that global musicians should involve in independent music label procedures and practices in order to promote their music operations and activities. The book also provides a clear comparison of music record sales in various countries such as United States, Spain, Russia, Denmark, South Africa, Germany and United Kingdom among many other countries globally. This includes digital music sales records by the RIAA from early 2005 to late 2006. The book also outlines some of the best digital companies globally such as Apple firm and their contributions in the music industry. The authors of the book also posit that the main of musicians and artists is to reach wide number of audiences. In that sense, it is imperative that global artists use and employ a number of music marketing and promotion systems in order to reach a wide audience.  There is also need for the promotion of professionalism by all artists and musicians in order to promote their music systems in various countries globally. The music industry is full of competition in various countries worldwide, and musicians should involve in proper training and practice in order to have competitive advantage.  It is also recommended that global musicians and artists should employ the use of new technological tools in order to promote their musical activities and business operations.  Understanding the dynamics of the global music market operations and activities is also very imperative for global music artists.

The authors of the book also outline how the record business operations have changed in the twenty-first century especially due to the expansion of the music industry in various countries globally.  According to the book reports, the introduction of free trade policies has improved marketing of global music business operations.  Furthermore, effective music business operations and activities are mainly based on the market share and the marketing activities of the artists in various countries globally. Good and proper foreign relations among global countries are very imperative in the promotion of global business operations. This has been witnessed in various countries such as between South America and Caribbean countries and between Chile and Brazil.

The book uses data from the international federation of photographic industries in order to illustrate various music world records and sales volumes of various countries. The author of the book also recognizes some of the political policies based on music taxation systems of various countries globally.

There are also various music styles and their influences that are illustrated in the book.  This also includes the exportation of music in various countries globally and how this improves the host country economic development and growth.

There are also various music based future opportunities  and challenges that are outlined in the book including MTV Africa network and music promotion systems,  the search for African music talents   and other music federation operations in various countries worldwide. The book also recognizes the role that the government can play in promoting the music industry and music promotion systems. The book also provides various policies that can be adopted in Africa in order to reform their music industry including promoting foreign investment in music business operations, investment on record labels, involving new technologies in their music operations as well as improving proper research and development towards music systems. The authors of the book also encourage African governments to provide financial support to their music industry and to reduce music censorship policies and media control.

Therefore, this is an informative and research-based book that can be used by various individuals in the society including musicians, professionals, and music publishers in order to promote their music business operations and diversity. This is because it outlines some of the major international music business operations, opportunities as well as music challenges and how to overcome them.

However, the major weakness of the book is that it fails to recognize music business operations in some continents such as Australia and Antarctica.  Furthermore, the majority of information and statistics in the book are based on music business operations from the past up to 2007 and do not include the major music operations in the society today thus more research is necessary to include recent music business operations in various countries globally.

Despite this, the book is very informative and research-based and can be adopted by various musicians and music managers in order to promote their music business activities globally.

Bibliography

Bernstein, Arthur, Naoki Sekine, and Dick Weissman. “The Global Music Industry: Three Perspectives”. New York: Routledge (July 20^th 2007): 11-292. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=wZrbAAAAQBAJ&pg=PP1&lpg=PP1&dq=The+Global+Music+Industry%E2%80%9D+,+Three+perspectives&source=bl&ots=dV6ACmsWJY&sig=OWO2A7lGNF1xmH23ckagpUiRZzY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UAM0VbW_G8LKaO-sgPgD&ved=0CFAQ6AEwCw#v=onepage&q=The%20Global%20Music%20Industry%E2%80%9D%20%2C%20Three%20perspectives&f=false

Phillips, R. J. “The Global Music Industry: Three Perspectives.” Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries 45, no. 5 (January 2008): 827-828

[1] Arthur Bernstein, Sekine Naoki, and Weissman Dick. 2007. The global music industry: three perspectives. New York: Routledge, 11-292

[2] Phillips, R. J. 2008. “The global music industry: three perspectives.” Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries 45, no. 5: 827-828.