Found on Mark Mulligan's Music Industry Blog: "Following the disappointment of 2010, 2011 was always going to need to pack more punch. In some ways it did, and other ways it continued to underwhelm. On balance though the stage is set for an exciting 2012.There were certainly lots of twists and turns in 2011, including: disquiet among the artist community regarding digital pay-outs, the passing of Steve Jobs, Nokia’s return to digital music, EMI’s API play, and of course Universal Music’s acquisition of EMI. Here are some of the 2011 developments that have most far reaching implications:
- The year of the ecosystems. With the launch of Facebook’s content dashboard, Android Music, the Amazon Fire (a name not designed to win over eco-warriors), Apple’s iTunes Match and Spotify’s developer platform there was a surge in the number of competing ecosystem plays in the digital music arena. Despite the risk of consumer confusion, some of these are exciting foundations for a new generation of music experiences.
- Cash for cache. The ownership versus access debate raged fully in 2011, spurred by the rise of streaming services. Although we are in an unprecedented period of transition, ownership and...read on."
