Blockchain Technology within the Music Industry
Authors
Sommer, Pernille ; Krajewska, Aleksandra Anna
Term
4. term
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-06-03
Pages
102
Abstract
Digitalisering har ændret musikbranchen grundlæggende ved både at øge adgangen til indhold og skabe udfordringer omkring uautoriseret deling, dataudveksling og mellemled. Dette speciale undersøger, om blockchain-teknologi kan adressere disse udfordringer gennem et case-studie af Gramex, den danske kollektive rettighedsforvalter for kunstnere og pladeselskaber. Formålet er at vurdere, om og hvordan blockchain – via decentral tillid, sikker dataudveksling og smarte kontrakter – kan lette dataudvekslingen mellem Gramex og deres kunder, reducere transaktionsomkostninger og påvirke forretningsmodeller og værdikæder i musikindustrien. Metodisk kombinerer studiet et litteraturreview om blockchain, Digital Rights Management og forretningsmodeller med et kvalitativt case-design baseret på semistrukturerede interviews og sekundære kilder, analyseret gennem transaktionsomkostningsøkonomi samt (åben/forstyrrende) innovationsteori. Da teknologien fortsat er i en tidlig og usikker fase, kortlægger specialet aktuelle muligheder og begrænsninger, diskuterer implikationer for IPR-forvaltning og skitserer potentielle veje til implementering. Det peger på, at blockchain kan skabe værdi, hvis den vurderes og implementeres omhyggeligt i tråd med økosystemets behov, og fremhæver retninger for videre forskning i musikbranchen.
Digitization has fundamentally reshaped the music industry by expanding access to content while intensifying challenges around unauthorized sharing, data exchange, and the role of intermediaries. This thesis examines whether blockchain technology can address these issues through a case study of Gramex, Denmark’s collective rights management organization for artists and record labels. The aim is to assess if and how blockchain—via decentralized trust, secure data sharing, and smart contracts—could ease data exchange between Gramex and its customers, reduce transaction costs, and influence business models and value chains in the music industry. Methodologically, the study combines a literature review on blockchain, Digital Rights Management, and business models with a qualitative case design based on semi-structured interviews and secondary sources, interpreted through transaction cost economics and (open/disruptive) innovation theory. Given the technology’s early and uncertain stage, the thesis maps current possibilities and constraints, discusses implications for intellectual property management, and outlines potential implementation pathways. It suggests that blockchain may add value if carefully evaluated and aligned with ecosystem needs, and it highlights directions for further research in the music industry.
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