Artist and Repertoire Goes Online: Evidence from Poland

Abstract

Abstract:This article uses the concept of social network markets to analyze the problem of uncertainty in the music industry. On the basis of empirical data, the article puts forward the argument that to understand the preferences of listeners, a music company must be embedded in social networks. This embeddedness has always been an asset, as is indicated by the successes of independent record companies. However, nowadays it has become easier due to the ever-widening spread of social networking sites. We demonstrate that a company that communicates with its consumers via a Facebook profile or a YouTube channel on a regular basis gains the opportunity to analyze this communication, which, along with other data obtained via the internet, can help in reaching music repertoire decisions. At the same time, these practices may lead to the infringement of recipients' privacy and the commodification of all actions undertaken by listeners online.