The Way the Music Died

Although showing recent signs of recovery, the music industry is no doubt in a drought, experiencing the loss of billions of dollars in revenue, thousands of jobs, and what some critics see as a commoditization of music resulting in boring product. What went wrong? The PBS show Frontline calls it a perfect storm, "a convergence of industry-wide consolidation, Internet theft, and artistic drought." This companion Web site to the broadcast is a nice summary of the turmoil, offering interviews and contrasting viewpoints with musicians, industry executives, and industry watchers. You can also watch the full video program on the site. If you are in the photography business (excuse us, the digital imaging business) or the many other industries undergoing transformation as analog meets digital, these war stories are instructive.