Going with the Streaming Flow: Framing the Discourse on Contemporary Music Consumption

Abstract

This thesis examines how the discourse on contemporary music consumption is framed by both music providers and music distributors. It contains a historical account regarding new media developments that are concerned with music distribution and music listening. It discusses power relations and agency based on theories by both Latour and Foucault. The paper elaborates on opinions by different actants, from where it uses dispositif as a discourse strategy. It was found that changes in the discourse of the music industry are not a direct result of new media developments, but a result of consumer preferences combined with increased technological advantages. Subsequently, shifts in dispositif between interrelated actants in the music industry continuously ensure a lack of agency concerning content providers. Therefore, it seems that content distributors may view the discourse on contemporary music consumption as something that can be positive. Content providers, on the other hand, oppose the workings of the current discourse, as they have a tendency to believe it makes them powerless, whereas using new media technologies to their advantage may result in power relations shifting in their favour as well.