PurposeThe aim of this paper is to examine the impact of the digital culture on the music industries through an analysis of official and unofficial web sites, media reports and discussions with musicians.Design/methodology/approachA critical social theory approach is adopted to examine structures and processes related to communication between artists, fans, the media, as well as commercial and independent labels. The authors draw upon Habermas' theory using the concept of “communicative action” to inform an analysis of three vignettes or short case studies.FindingsAt first glance it would appear that technology has brought about greater opportunities for independent musicians to communicate, network, promote and distribute, which previously could not be widely published, and to organise against the commercial power of major labels (Majors).Research limitations/implicationsIn many spheres of the music industries this “empowerment” does not appear to be realised. For example, previous studies have shown that the domination of the Majors continues to impact on local music scenes to restrict and ultimately prevent the creative ideal deliver a situation that is necessary to empower independent musicians. Current media manipulation and corporate interests restrict and alienate independent musicians who often have more of an intellectual ownership and culture within their local music communities.Practical implicationsAlthough steps to enable improved visibility and cooperation have been made we are still a long way off musicians having a powerful enough voice to organise against the commercial power of the large labels and media conglomerates (e.g. Apple i‐Tunes). The ideal speech situation remains elusive and the hegemonic state remains unchallenged.Social implicationsMusic continues to be commodified and fans are increasingly constructed as “consumers”; the ultimate power remains in mass media and broadcasting rather than independent “narrowcast” and DIY artistry.Originality/valueThis paper extends debate on the impact of the developing “digital culture” focusing on independent musicians and the music industries. It raises issues for further research in this area.

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to aid the DIY artist in moving towards sustainability through the use of new technologies, which will be achieved by defining DIY music culture, identifying the creative and business needs of an artist as well as establishing a model for artists to be self‐sufficient.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology consisted of a mixture of unstructured interviews, such as e‐mail, telephone and face‐to‐face. A total of 15 interviews were conducted with DIY artists from local music scenes around the UK.FindingsThe DIY musicology model is a foundation for the DIY artist to be self‐sufficient through the three main perspectives: artistic process, managerial process and information systems.Research limitations/implicationsMany artists and managers continue in their struggle to be independently sustainable, therefore it is necessary to continue this research on a wider scale.Practical implicationsBy gaining a more in‐depth understanding of the sub‐sectors within the music industries, artists and managers can understand more about how to manage their own creative activities or projects.Social implicationsThrough a strong DIY ethic, with an emphasis on creativity and self‐management, a clear understanding of local music scenes helps to identify one of the key sub‐sectors of the music industries as well as demonstrate that sub‐cultures have value.Originality/valueThe paper discusses issues of sustainability within local music scenes from the perspective of the DIY artist, which is a new area of academic research.

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Applied areas of entrepreneurship are growing in popularity due to the ongoing need for students to gain specialised skills to find employment after graduation. This study explores how educational scaffolding can facilitate the delivery of online experiential activities to improve the entrepreneurial learning experience and the performance of music management students by using information and communications technology tools within the virtual learning environment. A case study methodology was adopted to present two scenarios of innovative online learning delivered in a postgraduate programme in music management. This research takes into consideration the difficult transitional journey for some students from studying to being immediately thrust into the workplace, which often requires different types of knowledge, experience, skills and competences. The findings show that, by strengthening industry links, tutors can build a portfolio of online practical activities that represent the ‘real-life’ industry, helping to forge long-term, collaborative partnerships to facilitate learners’ acquisition of more meaningful knowledge and opportunities.

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are examples of information communication technologies (ICTs) that have been widely adopted by students, and could potentially be useful as a resource for teaching and learning in further and higher educational institutions. Facebook tops the charts in social networking space, but when it comes to social messaging on mobiles WhatsApp walks away as the winner (Spohr, 2013). Facebook have recently purchased the popular social mobile app (Tech2, 2013). However, the use of social media has brought about numerous logistical issues and ethical issues relating to interactions with students. For example, the use of some tools in educational institutions is rather informal raising problems of accessibility and inclusion. Based on this phenomenon, we will conduct research to explore the usage of social networking sites and mobile social apps within further and higher education. We will use the survey method to ask students and staff their views on the use of this technology for learning and communication purposes. In this way we hope to compare the views of students in higher education on courses in Music Business and Psychology. While self-report methods are inherently subjective, we believe it is important to explore how both staff and students both use and view different features of these technological tools. Using focus groups, we hope to identify the main themes concerning the use of educational technology for staff and student groups. A larger sample will be obtained using a questionnaire to garner opinions on the main concerns raised. Analysing this data may help in providing recommendations for educational institutions, keeping in mind the important logistical and ethical issues some are unaware of.