The music industries: Theory, practice and vocations – a polemical intervention

Abstract

<p>This chapter makes a polemical intervention by arguing that Music Departments and institutions within Higher Education which do not teach their students about the realities of the music industries are doing a disservice to their students. It falls in to three sections which in turn outline some recent developments in UK Higher education and Music’s place within them, examine the nature of the nature of the music industries and conclude with reflections on musical labour. Our starting point is that the text always needs placing within the context and our premise is that - as Francis Bacon reportedly said - knowledge is power. We suggest that without knowledge of the music industries, Music students will be radically disempowered. We seek their empowerment and urge Music departments to do the same.<br></p>