The global song contest

The internet has forced change on many activities, and it has had a particularly revolutionary effec...

The internet has forced change on many activities, and it has had a particularly revolutionary effect on the recording industry. Always faced with piracy through illegally copied vinyl and cassette tape, record companies now have to face up to the implications of digitalisation of music production and dissemination. Online services such as Napster now enable music lovers around the world to swap their favourite tunes as MP3 files with a few clicks of a mouse. Established business models face a severe test. The UK's main listed music company, EMI, is floundering near its 52-week low in no ...