The Global Jukebox: The International Music Industry (Communication and Society) [Paperback]

Robert Burnett (Author)

Book Description

Series: Communication and Society | Publication Date: February 1, 1996

Popular music is with us constantly. It is part of our everyday enviroment and in global terms it is now perhaps the most universal means of communication.
The Global Jukebox is the first comprehensive study of the international music industry at a time of great change, as the entertainment industry acknowledges its ever growing global audience. Robert Burnett provides an international overview of the music business and its future prospects in the UK, Northern Europe and the United States and Canada. He examines the relationship between local and global cultures and between concentration of ownership (Sony, Warner and the rest of the `big six') and the diversity of music production and consumption.
The Global Jukebox not only illuminataes the workings of the contemporary entertainment industries, it captures the dynamics at work in the production of musical culture between the transnational media conglomerates, the independent music companies and the public. It is essential reading for anyone studying popular music.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Global Jukebox is an insightful snapshot.
–ORB Confidential

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (February 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415092760
• ISBN-13: 978-0415092760
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,166,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well written, well-researched, and very informative, November 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Global Jukebox: The International Music Industry (Communication and Society) (Paperback)

This was a fascinating and intriguing book. It focuses on the 6 (which is now recently 5) major labels and their international/global market share. It focuses on Warner, Sony, EMI, BMG, MCA and Polygram; and how these transnationals BY FAR dominate the whole music industry worldwide. An oligopoly exists in the music industry. These transnationals have expanded globally as they realized that music is a GLOBAL business. Here is the 1997 worldwide market share: MCA=5.6% BMG=12.1%, Warner=13.1%, Sony=14.5%, Polygram=16.7%, EMI=15.3%, and the indie labels=22.8%. So, the majors control 77% of the world market! Wow! "Because they control so much of the entertainment industry, the oligopolist firms are able to prevent smaller, specialist firms from surviving in popular music niches...As small firms make considerable inroads into the market, large firms respond by absorbing them through merger or joint venture..." ...I have many, many books on the music business, but this book is definitely one of the best. It takes an intriguing look into the global aspect of the music industry in which these majors dominate. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the music business!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, problem is that the information is dated., September 2, 2003

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Global Jukebox: The International Music Industry (Communication and Society) (Paperback)

I hate to give this book three stars, because I'm certain that at the time it was written it deserved five. The trouble is that much of the value of the book comes from an analysis of the existing market and predictions of future trends and the market has altered significantly since that time and we as readers know how some of those trends did (or didn't) emerge.

Shame, because the parts that are valuable of this book are really valuable-- largely that's the thinking about the influence and study of popular music and the way in which the industry tends to form and (re)form over time. The bibliography was also a pretty great thing.

Publisher-- time for a new edition?