The Music Industry

by Patrik Wikstrom

Published 26 July 2013

The music industry is going through a period of immense change brought about in part by the digital revolution. What is the role of music in the age of computers and the Internet? How has the music industry been transformed by the economic and technological upheavals of recent years, and how is it likely to change in the future? This thoroughly revised and updated new edition provides an international overview of the music industry and its future prospects in the world of global entertainment.

Patrik Wikström illuminates the workings of the music industry, and captures the dynamics at work in the production of musical culture between the transnational media conglomerates, the independent music companies and the public.

New to this second edition are expanded sections on the structure of the music industry, online business models and the links between social media and music. Engaging and comprehensive, The Music Industry will be a must-read for students and scholars of media and communication studies, cultural studies, popular music, sociology and economics.


Since its acquisition and rebranding in 2018, TikTok has become one of the fastest growing platforms in the world. Moreover, it's the first Chinese-developed platform to find mainstream international success, carving its own niche in the global short video industry.

In the first comprehensive exploration of TikTok, Kaye, Zeng, and Wikström provide a history of the emergent genre of short video and situate the platform within the cultures and controversies that have accompanied its dramatic growth. They provide an extensive overview of TikTok's functions and uses, the diverse markets in which the platform operates, and the issues of governance that have impacted its expansion. Once thought to be 'just for kids', the authors illustrate how TikTok is further transforming platform cultures and the dynamics of broader creative industries. TikTok, the authors argue, represents an evolutionary step in the way culture is produced and consumed on digital platforms.

This timely book is essential reading for students and scholars in media and communication studies and for anyone who has been captivated by the global growth of TikTok and short video.