EP/71: PIRACY

Piracy, Censorship & Copyright in Today’s Music Tech Climate

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The launch of Napster in June of 1999 ushered in a new era for the music industry. Music was pulled kicking and screaming into the digital era and the demise of the CD format was not long off. The subsequent collapse in revenues for music, caused the industry to reluctantly embrace streaming platforms like Spotify it also caused far reaching ripple effects we are still living with today in both music and culture at large.

Here to explain is Dr. Aram Sinnreich. Aram is a Professor and chair of the Communication Studies division at American University’s School of Communication. His work focuses on the intersection of culture, law and technology, with an emphasis on subjects such as surveillance, critical data studies, intellectual property, remix culture, and music. He is the author of three books: Mashed Up, The Piracy Crusade, and The Essential Guide to Intellectual Property and has written for publications including The New York Times, Billboard and Wired. He joins us from Washington, DC.

Photo: Creator: Jeff Watts; Credit: Courtesy American University; Copyright: American University

About ARAM

Dr. Aram Sinnreich is a Professor and chair of the Communication Studies division at American University’s School of Communication. Sinnreich’s work focuses on the intersection of culture, law and technology, with an emphasis on subjects such as surveillance, critical data studies, intellectual property, remix culture, and music. He is the author of three books: Mashed Up (2010), The Piracy Crusade (2013), and The Essential Guide to Intellectual Property (2019). He has also written for publications including The New York Times, Billboard, Wired, The Daily Beast, and The Conversation.

Find Aram’s writing and music at sinnreich.com.