The Business of Music

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

156 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject introduces the business practices of the music industry. Aspects of copyright, marketing, law, management, contracts, sales, distribution, ownership, and merchandising will be examined in relation to areas such as touring, recording deals, digital streaming, live performance, music placement in film, TV, sport and advertising, video clips and video games. This subject is delivered as a lecture featuring high-level music industry guests illuminating the fundamentals of the music industry. Each lecture will be assessed by weekly on-line quizzes and students will select one topic for specialisation for the final assignment.

On completing this subject students should be able to:

• understand the relationship between music creation and commercialisation.

• identify and contextualize key elements of the music industry.

• critically analyse various examples of music business practice.

10 Web-based quizzes - Weekly throughout the semester (weeks 2-11); (40%)
Each quiz will take approximately 1 hour to complete.

2,000 word written assignment; End of semester (60%)

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Science

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have developed:

• Skills in accessing current music industry research from international databases, web sites, journals and texts
• The ability to analyse and critique creative and commercial music projects
• High-level conceptual and applied skills.