4. Music 2.0
This chapter explains the role technology plays in all music: digital technology is simply its most recent manifestation. After reviewing the basics of digital sound, the chapter outlines the transformational effect of digital technology on musical culture. Particular attention is given to its impact on personal musical consumption, including the development of streaming libraries and music recommendation systems, and on the development of internet communities based on digital participation; a result has been the development of a distinctive ‘digital style’, illustrated for example by internet memes. Finally the chapter outlines the historical development of the music business, and the radical ways in which it has been—and is being—transformed by technology.