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Why Any Seat At Music Hack Day Is More Valuable Than A Front Row Ticket To The Grammys

"Technological change is discontinuous.
The monks in their scriptoria
did not invent the printing press,
horse breeders did not invent the motorcar,
and the music industry
did not invent the iPod or launch iTunes."
– Jason Epstein, The New York Review Of Books

Epstein's statement, while part of an essay on book publishing, encapsulates both the reasons behind the current state of the music industry, aw well as, it's only path forward.


Technological change is discontinuous; and the transformation of music on every level – creation, marketing, discovery, distribution and consumption – is being driven by discontinuous and disruptive changes in technology.

But, history has shown that change – in technology and in legacy industries – seldom comes from within.  So if we want to see where the music industry is headed, we can't  look to legacy leaders and their protege's.  Music's future lies rather with what entrepreneurial technologically savvy music lovers are creating and collaborating  on in dorm rooms and startups of all descriptions. 

In 2011, any seat at a Music Hack Day is more valuable than a ticket to the Grammys. And tickets to Music Hack Day are free.

Thanks to Bob Lefstez for sharing Jeff Epstein's quote in The New York Review of Books.

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