Improving an Argument Essay: Digital Innovation in the Music Industry Through Napster and iTunes
Overview
This essay examines the evolution of the music industry through technological advancement, using Napster and iTunes as case studies. It analyzes how Napster's peer-to-peer file sharing disrupted traditional CD sales while ultimately failing as a business model, contrasting this with Apple iTunes' successful commercialization of digital music distribution.
What this essay covers
- Introduction and context: The music industry's evolution through Napster's rise and impact on CD sales revenue
- Main argument: Comparison of Napster's failure in copyright protection versus iTunes' successful digital distribution model
- Analysis: Quality thinking examples in technology, contrasting Napster as a failure with iTunes as a successful application of business strategy
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Improving an Argument Essay
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Improving an Argument Essay
Part 1
The music industry has evolved through time, marking significant improvements and developments. Napster Record Label is a good example that describes the ups and downs the music industry has gone through because of technological advancement. It popularized digital access to music, killing the traditional technology of using CDs sold to customers and generating revenue. Initially, the company made a great profit at the end of 1999 of $14 billion compared to 1958 of $604 million (David, 2016). The shift to digital tunes caused by Napster Record Label's growth cost the music industry a considerable sum in revenue. However, it was a positive development for people as they could access music globally without spending resources.
The world enjoyed streaming music for free courtesy of Napster until 2003 when Steve Jobs and Apple developed a way to commercialize music online through iTunes. They linked hardware like shuffle and iPod that enabled people to access their favourite music wherever they are (Arditi, 2018). People no longer needed to burn their favourite playlists on a disc. They easily accessed it through iTunes, which became successful because they took advantage of the digital era and commercialized it. On the other hand, Napster Record Label could not adopt a distinct method to protect the songs' copyrights, which failed to generate revenue for the company (Kıranoğlu, 2016).