dc.description.abstract | Today, music blogs and websites are playing a substantial role in discovering new talents, promoting
them, and determining the future appreciation or unappreciation of their work. However, with the
development of the online marketplace, the music community is facing numerous challenges in
preventing music from being made available illegally. Additionally, although it may true that many
bloggers and consumers may be infringing the copyright by publishing unlicensed music on their
platforms, online media might nonetheless be a useful strategy to help artists and record labels
promote the music and hence profit from higher revenues. Therefore, music blogs, websites, and
social media should be considered as a valuable model of eWOM, which occurs when consumers
share advice and information with each other about a product or a service, ultimately influencing
other customers’ decision-making processes and the good’s future endorsement or disapproval. With
the thesis, it has been investigated the relevance of websites and blogs as a valuable eWOM tool
which are being increasingly integrated into the music industry as a prominent promotional strategy,
contributing to the future appreciation or unappreciation of artistic works, eventually resulting in
generating higher record sales and thus revenues. Finally, with the concrete example of the
relationship between blogger Dr. Funkenberry and artist Prince Rogers Nelson, which has been
addressed as the case study, it was analyzed Prince’s notorious ambivalence and protectiveness of his
work. In conclusion, I argue that although music blogs and websites may present an easy strategy to
share unlicensed music, on the other hand (and if used accurately and ethically), they may as well be
a valid example of an eWOM communication tool that shall influence the music industry and
audience and ultimately contributing to generating higher record sales and thus revenues. | |
dc.subject.keywords | Master thesis, music blogs, electronic Word of Mouth, music sales, music consumption, music market, music marketing, new media | |