The economy of live music in the digital age

Abstract

Popular music culture has changed significantly with the diffusion of networked digital media in the late 1990s. The present article theorizes the concept of live music in light of those changes and develops the idea of a new economy of live music. The perception of concerts as live music is central, so this is explored conceptually and historically before outlining the main elements of the new economy. Two immediate elements are the new economic centrality of live music and the categorical change in concert ticket prices. Two other elements are the rise of new and renewed event genres and the broader dynamics of the digital information society. The article integrates perspectives of cultural and performance studies.