Does YouTube Hurt Or Help The Music Industry?
YouTube as a streaming service is controversial business, and that’s putting it mildly.
Here we are in 2016, and it’s almost difficult to imagine a time when the entirety of the world’s media supply wasn’t readily available for free on the internet. Websites, like YouTube, act as massive repositories full of albums, movies, techno mixes, weird videos, flat Earth conspiracy theories and other entertaining diversions. As a consumer it’s great to get stuff for free—it’s the best, right? But that doesn’t quite sit so well with the makers of said materials, who want to get paid.
YouTube has been at the forefront of a debate that’s grown as the website has morphed into an all consuming media void. At the center of the drama is the worry that streaming sites and gratis availability have harmed the music industry and musicians as well.
It’s a complicated issue, but fortunately Magnetic Magazine has a very thoughful op-ed on the subject that will bring you right up to speed with a balanced overview of both sides of the argument.