Understanding the Music Business What is Music Worth?
This course will examine the music industry in the United States, with the unique perspective gained by Vanderbilt University’s location in Nashville, TN. Nashville is a major center of music in the United States, and the music created here has a global reach, particularly in the country, rock, pop, singer-songwriter, and Americana genres. However, students will learn that the basic principles of recording, marketing, copyright, licensing, and live performance are the same, regardless of musical style or genre.The music business is one of the most rapidly changing industries in the US today. It is also an industry filled with contradiction, and media headlines and anecdotal stories often add to the confusion. Here are just a few statements paraphrased from recent news stories:
- The music business has collapsed
- Demand for music is expanding at the greatest rate in history
- Historic recording studios are closing at an alarming rate
- More people are making recordings than ever before
- Musicians usually lose money touring
- Musicians usually make money touring
- Major artist pulls songs off streaming services because they don’t pay fairly
- Major artist makes a fortune from streaming services
- People won’t buy records anymore
- Vinyl record sales are soaring
This course will attempt to make sense of these seemingly contradictory trends and data, outline the basic structure and mechanisms of today’s music industry, and encourage students to think critically and entrepreneurially about the future of music. Leaders from various areas of the music business will lend their perspectives through in-depth interviews, and footage from a recording session will give learners a behind the scenes look at how a song goes from the spark of an idea hummed into a cell phone to a finished recording.
Participants will grapple with questions about art and commerce which are both timeless and crucially important today, and will emerge from this course with tools allowing them to make more informed decisions as creators, promoters, and consumers of music.
Course launches February 19, 2016.
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Syllabus
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Recording & Record Labels, Part 1
Week 2
Recording & Record Labels, Part 2
Week 3
Copyright & Publishing
Week 4
Media
Week 5
Live Performance
Week 6
New Models, Trends & Strategies
Week 7
Wrapping Up
FAQ
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Reviews
Good content - videos are very helpful. Enjoyed the written assignment. But the peer-review pro
Really interesting course even for someone who's kids begged me not to sing a lullaby to them.
Loved it.
It gave me insight to how thing work in this business.
Great Job.
it's great, all vivid content and clear explanations.
