Ghost Music -

Writers can learn a lot from studying the music industry.

A case in point is Liz Pelly’s article, “The Ghosts in the Machine,” about Spotify and musicians in Harper’s Magazine’s January 2025 edition.

It’s worth taking the time to slowly read it (or speed read if that’s your gift). There’s a lot to unravel. After you’ve read the article, ask yourself a few questions.

How can art (i.e. music, books etc…) be turned into a commodity?
What is the potential impact of an artist (musicians in this case) being separated from their audience?
When an artist signs a contract, what are some key clauses they should look out for? Why?
What are the different values associated with assets, ownership and money?
In music (or another field if you prefer) how is intellectual property used and monetized?

I could go on, but I’ll stop here.

Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers. This isn’t school and it’s not about being right or wrong.

It’s about being aware.