Music Business Journal AnalysisEssay Preview: Music Business Journal AnalysisReport this essayMusic Business Journal AnalysisThe Music Business Journal is an online journal based in the United Kingdom. The two editors, JoJo Gould and Jonathan Little, are both lecturers, researchers, and writers in the music industry. When they saw that the music industry was underdeveloped in academic terms, the two founded the Music Business Journal to “facilitate the sharing of information and knowledge across a range of music industry activities.” Consultants for the journal come from a wide array of expertise and from all over the world. Countries represented are the U.K., Australia, U.S.A., and Turkey.
The members of the Music Business Journal never have formal meetings as it is specifically an online journal. Members from around the world, however, can submit articles, interviews, reviews of products, etc. to get posted on the website for their peers to view. In fact, each year one member earns an award for writing the best article published on the journals site. It is important to note that many of the members of the MBJ are also members of music business associations such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and/or the National Association of Recording Industry Professionals (NARIP), both of which hold annual meetings.
The specific audience for this publication are music industry professionals; including recording labels staff, studio engineers, and producers; however the journal can also be useful for educators, journalists, and the general public. The information provided in the journal could serve a variety of purposes but it is mostly an analytical source of news. The articles within the journal analyze the latest trends in the music industry and layout possibilities for the future.
The articles in this journal are not topic specific. There are a wide variety of articles found in the journal with topics ranging from record labels to sampling to copyright infringement to safety regulations and even historical information. By taking this wide angled approach, the MBJ makes sure to include information for anyones personal interest in the music industry, without being too specialized. A reader would probably never use this journal as their primary source of news/education in their particular focus within the field; however, they could use this journal as a way of learning about other facets in the music industry they are not already familiar with.
As mentioned earlier, the writers for the Music Business Journal come from all over the globe, with the editors and staff mostly working as professors and lecturers at universities. There are no set standards to who can write in the journal and who can not, since many of the articles are simply e-mailed to the editors; however, there is a level of proficiency that the writer must display to have his or her work accepted into the journal. One must use proper grammar and English, and must write in an academic form. Most of the articles submitted are written by researchers in the field or professors of music; but most of the authors fit both of these categories. This usually means that the authors have researched their articles topic quite exhaustively, and are very familiar with the subject matter.
Articles admitted into the journal include industry interviews, product reviews, news, law updates, conference schedules, and resources. Since these topics range across a broad spectrum, there are no standards for what can be admitted as evidence, or rather what evidence can be considered valid. For example, the interviews found in the journal assume that the interviewee has his or her own opinion, and that the reader can assess the validity of that persons opinions for him or herself. Many of the articles are research based, and like any other academic writing; they contain many citations and the sources used. Most of these articles are written as theoretical or statistical analysis based on the status quo in the music business industry.
The authors of the articles must ensure that their article and the author’s position are in line with the guidelines of the journal and guidelines that are applied as part of the Academic Journal, which was established in 1955 with the conclusion of the Association’s annual conference of the Society of American Composers.
There are, however, limitations in the articles. The articles must not be presented at the Annual Conference of Experimental Music Editors or the New York College of Music, or at any other national or international conference where performance is a concern or where the publication of such a piece is considered to have any commercial or political influence.
1. The author must not be the first to admit a subject from the first article in the “Journal of Industry.”
2. These articles must be included as part of the content of the journal and are considered true.
3. The article must be an article about the music business or a music record in a form that can be heard by a large portion of the community.
4. A professional recording or recording company must make a recommendation about a title to include on the cover of the journal for the first 12 months of publication.
5. The journal may choose one of the following to include on advertisements, in a marketing brochure or on other promotional materials to attract potential readers:
• A musical statement.
• A musical or electronic song by a live performer from a popular genre and featuring an artist from that music genre.
• A musical or electronic artist singing the traditional American style that has made such music popular internationally.
• A musical or electronic dance performance.
• A song that can be played with the sound of a machine and by another musician.
• A musical or electronic music or film that can include a song or group of songs but that can be played by a live performer for an additional 15 or 20 minute performance without a professional recording of the performance.
• An individual performing in a band that has produced and is performing the musical or electronic musical version of the original musical or electronic song.
6. It is the writer’s responsibility to consider all factors, including the writer’s own personal or professional interest, relevant to the article published.
7. Copyright information must be included first.
8. No commercial or political rights are intended to restrict the information in the article or its contents.
9. The article must not be re-posted more than 6 months following publication.
10. Authors will not be liable for libel or defamation except in the case of loss of copyrights.
11. The article may be changed or reprinted at any time without the author’s prior written consent, in writing, under the conditions outlined in Article VI, section 2: The journal will not tolerate any other modification or reprinting of this article, nor will it be liable for damages for any failure or misappropriation of original work, any infringement of copyright.
The authors of the articles must ensure that their article and the author’s position are in line with the guidelines of the journal and guidelines that are applied as part of the Academic Journal, which was established in 1955 with the conclusion of the Association’s annual conference of the Society of American Composers.
There are, however, limitations in the articles. The articles must not be presented at the Annual Conference of Experimental Music Editors or the New York College of Music, or at any other national or international conference where performance is a concern or where the publication of such a piece is considered to have any commercial or political influence.
1. The author must not be the first to admit a subject from the first article in the “Journal of Industry.”
2. These articles must be included as part of the content of the journal and are considered true.
3. The article must be an article about the music business or a music record in a form that can be heard by a large portion of the community.
4. A professional recording or recording company must make a recommendation about a title to include on the cover of the journal for the first 12 months of publication.
5. The journal may choose one of the following to include on advertisements, in a marketing brochure or on other promotional materials to attract potential readers:
• A musical statement.
• A musical or electronic song by a live performer from a popular genre and featuring an artist from that music genre.
• A musical or electronic artist singing the traditional American style that has made such music popular internationally.
• A musical or electronic dance performance.
• A song that can be played with the sound of a machine and by another musician.
• A musical or electronic music or film that can include a song or group of songs but that can be played by a live performer for an additional 15 or 20 minute performance without a professional recording of the performance.
• An individual performing in a band that has produced and is performing the musical or electronic musical version of the original musical or electronic song.
6. It is the writer’s responsibility to consider all factors, including the writer’s own personal or professional interest, relevant to the article published.
7. Copyright information must be included first.
8. No commercial or political rights are intended to restrict the information in the article or its contents.
9. The article must not be re-posted more than 6 months following publication.
10. Authors will not be liable for libel or defamation except in the case of loss of copyrights.
11. The article may be changed or reprinted at any time without the author’s prior written consent, in writing, under the conditions outlined in Article VI, section 2: The journal will not tolerate any other modification or reprinting of this article, nor will it be liable for damages for any failure or misappropriation of original work, any infringement of copyright.
Most of the articles appear to be between four and six pages with very few visualizations (pictures, graphs, etc.). There is very little in the way of technical jargon, with the exception of musical/business terms such as copyright, trademark, composition, royalties, and sequencing, to name a few. The writers expect the readers to be at least somewhat knowledgeable with the recording industrys processes (signing, recording, producing, promoting) to be able to follow the articles completely.
In one of the articles I read, “Market Source 2004: The Major Music Marketplace” by Matthew Brown, the reader is presented with information regarding the five major