Abstract:

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Music streaming is a type of music distribution that has become immensely popular recently. As smartphones become near universal, the concept of paying one monthly fee for access to massive music libraries has become an attractive and a lucrative one. Streaming has had a disruptive effect on the music industry, as the payment structure is far different than before, which means that artists are often under-compensated. Additionally, artists can operate more effectively without a label then ever before due to streaming, social media, and production software, meaning the role of labels is being challenged. Music streaming has changed the way people want to consume music, and now the music industry must accept it.