What happens when the entire history of recorded music can be contained on a device the size of a guitar pick? And if that content is shared between users on private networks, where does that leave intellectual property? For some, this may sound like a sci-fi nightmare. But for legendary producer and McGill University professor Sandy Pearlman it’s both provocative conversation-starter and a soon-to-be reality. With the cost of storage quickly crashing to $0, what does this mean for the ongoing attempts to monetize digital music? Is the copyright industry’s loss part of a broader cultural gain? Can commerce and creativity be reconciled with rapid technological evolution in a way that makes sense for artists?

As music moves from a physical sales model to online platforms, it’s increasingly important that we have systems for efficiently and accurately compensating artists. This means metadata — the “tags” associated with an audio file that enables proper tracking of how that music is used and that points back to who should get paid. Technology offers opportunities for more accurate tracking, reporting and royalty distribution, but a lack of standardization and accuracy — particularly in classical and jazz music — remains a significant barrier to a functional and comprehensive system.

The digital revolution hasn’t just impacted music creation, access and distribution — it’s also shaken up the world of reporting, criticism and publicity. This year alone has seen the shuttering of several music magazines, and newspapers continue to cut back on entertainment coverage. Online outlets are proliferating, but in terms of quality and influence, they’re hardly created equal. How can today’s artists win the attention of increasingly distracted observers? Who will employ critics and reporters amid cutbacks and closures? How is niche music coverage faring in the age of American Idol? What’s the value of music writing when listeners have instantaneous access to content? Here, prominent music critics and reporters will examine these questions and more. read more