In this blog post, we’ll examine how advances in digital technology have changed the way music is produced, distributed, and consumed, and how they’ve impacted the popular music industry.
PSY’s “Gangnam Style” is a prime example of global popularity, having surpassed 6 billion views on YouTube as of July 2026 and reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Famous international celebrities took to social media to declare their obsession with “Gangnam Style,” and a famous soccer player’s goal celebration—which included the “horse dance”—also became a major talking point. This player was Edinson Cavani, a forward for SSC Napoli in Italy’s Serie A, and he was seen performing the “horse dance” during the third-round match against Parma and the fifth-round match against Lazio. Observing this phenomenon made me reflect on how music spreads to the public. “Gangnam Style” became known worldwide as its unique and entertaining music video went viral on YouTube. When compared to traditional formats like LPs and CDs, it’s clear that the development of the internet has played a major role in the rapid spread of music. The ways people access music have gradually changed over time. In the past, people could only listen to music at live performances, but with the invention of records, music could be stored and listened to at any time. Later, with the emergence of media such as radio and television, music became even more widespread, and the digitization of music began as CDs replaced cassette tapes and vinyl records. These days, most music is consumed in the form of digital files—such as MP3s—and people are accessing music through new methods like streaming services and downloads over the internet. It is true that as music became digital, illegal copying and downloading of audio files became rampant, and record sales declined significantly. However, it is difficult to conclude that this phenomenon alone represents a general downturn in the music industry as a whole. In 2025, global music industry revenue reached $31.7 billion, a 6.4% increase from the previous year, with paid streaming accounting for 52.4% of total revenue. While it is clear that advances in digital technology have significantly transformed the structure of the music industry, the industry itself continues to show signs of sustained growth.
As recently as the 1960s, LP (Long Play) records—measuring about 30 cm in width—enjoyed explosive popularity. At the time, rock groups’ albums featured lavish covers and striking titles, and were considered valuable works of art, making them highly collectible. A prime example is the album cover for The Velvet Underground’s ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’, famously designed by Andy Warhol. The banana depicted on the original cover was crafted so that peeling it revealed pink flesh underneath, creating a unique visual impact. Like this album, LPs from the past served not only as a medium for music but also possessed artistic value and rarity, which further increased their collectible value.
While our parents’ generation listened to music on LPs, our generation has experienced a rapidly changing array of ways to enjoy music. I remember using cassette tapes a lot when I was young. In elementary school, I was a big fan of the group Shinhwa, so whenever I received my allowance, I would buy and collect their albums on cassette tape. CDs were available, but they were too expensive for an elementary school student. To listen to Shinhwa’s music other than on cassette tapes, I had to go to great lengths to record shows like “Music Bank” and “Inkigayo” onto VHS tapes. In contrast, more than a decade later, I can listen to new music on YouTube, so I no longer feel a strong need for physical albums. When I’m listening to music online and come across an album I really like, I end up buying the CD. The purpose of owning a CD seems to lie less in listening to the music and more in the joy of collecting and the sense of pride I feel when looking at the album.
Some people believe that the ability to download music easily or for free is causing a slump in the record industry and, by extension, having a negative impact on the music industry as a whole. But does the proliferation of digital music really cause a downturn in the music industry? To answer this question, we can look at the example of the famous British rock band Radiohead. Radiohead released the digital version of their seventh studio album, ‘In Rainbows’, on their website, allowing buyers to download it by paying whatever price they wanted. According to a survey by the market research firm ComScore at the time, among those who downloaded “In Rainbows” during the first 29 days of October 2007, 62% worldwide paid nothing, and in the United States, 60% downloaded it for free. The percentage of people who paid was 38% worldwide and 40% in the U.S. However, it is difficult to accept these statistics as absolute figures, as Radiohead disputed their accuracy. After releasing the digital version, Radiohead also released physical formats such as CDs and vinyl, and the album reached No. 1 on the album charts in both the U.K. and the U.S. At the time, media reports cited estimates that digital downloads had reached approximately 1.2 million, but these were not officially confirmed sales figures, and the band itself pointed out that the numbers were exaggerated. Therefore, it is appropriate to view the case of “In Rainbows” as an example demonstrating that a new distribution model—one that promotes music through digital releases and connects directly with fans—is feasible. There is no doubt that this approach was effective in part because Radiohead was already a globally renowned band with a strong fan base. However, it is also important to note that the internet makes it easier for people to be exposed to new music and increases their chances of discovering songs they might otherwise have overlooked. In other words, the advancement of digital technology and the widespread adoption of digital devices have brought music even closer to our daily lives. We listen to a wide variety of music in diverse ways. From the melody of an alarm clock that wakes us up in the morning, to music playing in stores or on the street, songs on television and radio broadcasts, background music on the internet, and even cell phone ringtones and call waiting tones—the types of music we encounter in our daily lives are incredibly diverse. As it has become easier to listen to music anywhere, the purposes for doing so have also diversified. Some listen to music to alleviate boredom or lift their spirits, while others may use it to isolate themselves from the crowd and escape the various noises caused by other people. In this way, driven by technological advancements, music has become closely intertwined with our lives and has come to occupy a significant part of them.
For this reason, I believe it would be a stretch to attribute the changes in the music market solely to the advancement of digital technology. In the past, listening to music was one of the primary leisure activities, but in modern society, people can pass the time without getting bored through various means—such as movies, games, videos, and social media—without necessarily listening to music. On the contrary, the sharing of music via the internet and the proliferation of digital platforms may actually stimulate music creation and contribute to the expansion of the music industry. In the past, only artists signed to music labels could release albums and pursue their careers, but today, an environment has been created where individuals can promote their own music directly through channels such as YouTube, social media, and music streaming platforms. In fact, the current music industry has evolved beyond a structure where CDs and digital downloads simply replace one another; it now coexists in a form centered on streaming, alongside various digital formats and physical albums. In the United States, for example, streaming revenue accounted for 82% of total music industry revenue in 2025, yet at the same time, vinyl record sales exceeded $1 billion, marking 19 consecutive years of growth, and CDs continue to sell in significant numbers. Just as pagers disappeared with the widespread adoption of cell phones, the primary way people listen to music has changed with technological advancements; however, rather than disappearing completely, older formats persist with new uses and value.
Interestingly, in contrast to the proliferation of digital music in the U.S. music market, the resurgence of LPs continues. In 2025, U.S. LP sales reached 46.8 million units, a 7.9% increase from the previous year, while revenue rose 9.3% to $1.0429 billion. In contrast, CD sales fell 11.6% to 29.5 million units, and revenue also declined by 7.8%. With 19 consecutive years of growth, LPs have established themselves as the leading physical music format in the U.S., and in 2025, they recorded sales volumes far exceeding those of CDs. It is difficult to fully explain this phenomenon solely through the nostalgia for LPs among music enthusiasts aged 40 and older. The music industry appears to be one of the sectors most significantly influenced by advancements in media technology, yet it is also an industry where future trends are difficult to predict. Although the rapidly changing environments of the South Korean and U.S. music markets differ, the fact that LPs—the most analog of music formats—continue to survive even in the digital age demonstrates that the way we consume music does not simply follow the latest technological trends. In any case, the most important point is that, regardless of how people enjoy music, as long as human history continues, music will endure.
