The state of the music industry

The music industry is in crisis. According to some, VAT on records should be lowered and the Hadopi Law (intended to encourage diffusion and to protect creation on the Internet) should be reformed. This reasoning refers to the part of the sector which is visible but hides the reality which is a larger part and the issues at stake. The record industry is made up of three large labels, some multi-nationals, a few SMEs and a large number of microstructures which struggle to discover and bring to the fore new talent. They do not work according to established routines and are not part of pre-existing circuits : instead, they try to adapt their work to the projects which they hold dear. This is a dynamic and artisanal entrepreneurship which runs through the entire music industry. How does it work ? What are its driving forces ? How does this entrepreneurship function in relation to the rest of the industry ? How is it affected by the crisis in the record sector ? Cédric Claquin describes the visible part of musical creation and thereby helps us better understand what is really happening in this sector.