Ethics in the Music Business and its Impact on Popular Music, Society and Culture

Abstract

The entertainment industry possesses both the charisma and organizational architecture to act as an effective change agent in business and popular culture. The products of the music industry are heard and absorbed daily by millions of listeners whose opinions are shaped by what they hear and see. The procedures of the music business have influenced a generation of business professionals, recording artists, and consumers by reinforcing postmodern tenets through questionable business practices, music lyrics and subject matter, and validation of riskier social norms. The need to articulate the business practices of the music industry is addressed. A growing number of multinational entertainment conglomerates and domestic independent companies are beginning to readdress some of the issues that have raised suspicions in the past. Using ten time-honored principles will lay a foundation for ethical behavior and continued business practices in the music industry.