In my other life – the one where I’m not a world-famous music blogger - I work in the tech industry and pay pretty close attention to the ins-and-outs of the Valley. It’s pretty cool when my worlds collide, both because I’m duly interested in anything having to do with music and tech, but also because the havoc surrounding the music industry and its fights with individuals downloading MP3s, file-sharing services and little ‘ole bloggers like ourselves, is one of the most interesting challenges and potential battles of our age.
Where the hell is music going? How can musicians still get paid for thier craft? When will the record companies release their iron grip on the collective nut sack of American music fans? It’s a seriously interesting story, complete with heros and villains, corporate profit versus a motivated citizenry.
ReadWriteWeb, an outstanding tech blog, recorded a great podcast on the subject, with executives from iMeem, Yahoo! Music and RealNetworks discussing the current state of online music services and the future of the music industry in general. It’s a fascinating discussion with five (including the hosts) very smart people and something near and dear to all music fans’ hearts. Take a listen below:
