The role of music in society has changed over the centuries. What was once social and participatory has largely turned into an industry and a commodity. Just over the past century, the music business has changed and morphed along with ever-evolving technology: musical instruments, pianos and player pianos, sheet music and music publishing, recorded cylinders and phonograph records, compact cassettes and compact discs, MP3’s and file sharing, bricks and mortar music retailing and internet music stores, radio, television, music videos and film, concerts and touring, to name a few of the players. This course will examine the roots of the music industry, how it grew and developed into a multi-billion dollar industry, and where it is headed. The course will give students an understanding of the structure and organization of a successful music business, how one can maneuver in the present and prepare for the future.