Recordings

By: Amanda, Stephanie, and Tim

History of the Recording Industry

• 1877 – Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, an invention that could playback recorded material.

• 1887 - Emile Beruiner introduced the Gramophone, a machine which could copy discs and record them simultaneously.

• 1920 - Joseph Maxwell introduces electrical microphones to amplify sound.

• 1945 – Creative editing became possible with the developing of magnetic tape.

• 1948 – Peter Goldmark introduced long playing microgroove records which played up to 25 min. of music.

History of the Recording Industry

• 1950’s – Rock’N’Roll came to the record industry.

• 1960 – Stereo recordings and playback equipment were introduced along with FM Stereo Radio.

• 1978 – Digital recording was developed.

• 1983 – Digital recordings became available to consumers in the form of CD’s.

• 1990’s – Sound and animation moved to the web with compression software, streaming technology, and MP3’s.

• Downloading audio and video content from the web became possible with software such as Napster.

Famous People Involved With Recordings

David Geffen

David Geffen

• Built Geffen Records from scratch into an independent label.

• Went out scouting for talent on his own.

• In 1970, he created Asylum Records.

• In 1975, left Asylum to become Vice Chair of Warner Brothers Pictures.

• In 1980, He created Geffen Records.

• Sold Geffen Records to MCA in 1990.

David Geffen

• Now part of DreamWorks Movie Studios with partners Jerry Katzenburg and Steven Spielberg. – DreamWorks was founded in 1994, and is the first major movie

studio in Hollywood in 60 years.

• Is famous for signing such artists as The Eagles,

Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan.

Barry Gordy

Barry Gordy

• Built Motown Records from scratch in 1959.

• By 1988, Motown was the largest black owned business in the United States.

• Wrote much of the early Motown music and found all of its artists.

• Motown was sold to MCA in 1988 for $61 million.

• Motown was sold once again in 1992 to Polygram for $300 million.

Alan Freed

Alan Freed

• Host of a late night radio show called “Moon Dog Night.”

• Helped lay the groundwork for Rock’N’Roll in the 1950’s and later became one of the top DJ’s in New York City.

• Critics charged him with the corruption of teenagers nationwide.

• Freed rose to the top fast and died young like many in the recording business. In 1965, he passed away at the age of 43.

• Is touted with coining the phrase Rock’N’Roll.

The Evolution of Recorded Music In America

The Evolution of Recorded Music In America

Hillbilly Music

Black Music

Early Rock’N’Roll

Equations of Recording

CD Singles + Radio Stations + Airtime = $$

Music Videos + MTV, VH-1, BET, etc. = $$

BASICALLY,

EXSPOSURE =

Billboard Inc.

Payola

Payola:

Recording Companies + Bribes +

Radio Station DJ’s = Payola

PAYOLA = BAD

The Big 5 Recording Companies

• Paramount – the largest @ 26.4 % market shareIncludes: Decca, Geffen, Kap, MCA, UNI

• Time Warner – 17.9 % market shareIncludes: Afco, Atlantic, East West, Elektra, Giant,

Interscope, Nonesuch, Reprise, Sire, and Warner.• Sony – 16.3 % market share

Includes: Columbia, Epic, WTG, and Sony Records• BMG – 16.1 % market share

Includes: RCA and Arista• EMI – 13.3 % market share

Includes: Polygram, Motown, Mercury, Island, Deutsche Grammarphone, and ATM

Independent Record Labels

Record Album Sales

• Michael Jackson – Thriller 25 million

• The Eagles – Greatest Hits 24 million

• Pink Floyd – The Wall 22 million

• Fleetwood Mac – Rumors 18 million

• Billy Joel – Greatest Hits 18 million

Heisting Recorded Music

• File Sharing Programs Like Napster

• Home Dubbing

* record companies lose 1/5 of sales

* 1992 – 1 % “taping tax on blank CD’s/tapes

Heisting Recorded Music

• Piracy – selling recorded music illegally

* $5 billion music revenue lost

* $4 billion movie revenue lost

• Pirate sources include Asia, US, Africa, India.

Censorship

• Censored because of lyrics

• Parents Music Resource Center initiated Parental Advisory warnings

• Cal State U study shows 3 % of high schooler’s comprehend meaning of song lyrics

• Subliminal effect through repetition

THE END!!!