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How has copyright ownership affected the music industry in recent years?

Fannie Ledgerton

Well, as a music lover and avid social media user, I've seen firsthand how copyright ownership has affected the music industry over the last few years. For starters, the rise of streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal has made it easier than ever for people to access music legally. While this has been great for consumers, it has been a point of contention for artists who feel that the royalties they receive from streaming services are inadequate.

On one hand, it's understandable that streaming services need to keep a large percentage of revenue in order to maintain their infrastructure and pay licensing fees. But on the other hand, it's hard to argue with artists who feel like they're getting a raw deal. I know that some popular artists, like Taylor Swift, have chosen to remove their music from streaming services entirely in order to maintain control over their own material.

Another way that copyright ownership has affected the music industry is through the rise of memes and viral videos that utilize copyrighted music without permission. In some cases, this can actually help boost an artist's popularity (think of the "Harlem Shake" craze that swept the internet a few years ago), but in other cases it can lead to legal trouble.

I also think that the rise of social media platforms like TikTok has contributed to a shift in the way that people consume and discover music. Rather than relying solely on traditional radio play or word-of-mouth recommendations, many people now turn to their favorite social media personalities to discover new songs and artists. This can be both good and bad for copyright ownership. On one hand, it can help to expose lesser-known artists to a wider audience. On the other hand, it can be difficult to control how exactly a particular song is used on social media.

Overall, I think that copyright ownership will continue to be a contentious issue in the music industry for years to come. It's clear that new technologies and platforms will always be emerging, which will inevitably lead to new challenges when it comes to protecting artists' rights. At the same time, I think that there will always be a desire among music consumers to have easy access to the music they love. It's up to the industry as a whole to figure out a way to balance these competing demands.