This thesis was written when the Internet was just beginning to find its feet as a multimedia entertainment medium capable of realistically distributing music and video. This paper discusses the technological and moral issues involved.

Introduction

• Aims and ojectives of the project
• The Internet as research tool

Part One: Context and historical background

• A brief history of the Internet
  • TCP/IP
    
    
• A brief history of computer sound
  • Digital audio
  • MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
    
    
• The soundcard
  
  
• Sound file formats
  • AIFF / WAV file formats
  • MPEG audio
    
    
• Traditional music delivery formats
  • The 78 rpm record
  • The vinyl LP and single
  • The audio cassette
  • The compact disc

Part Two: Music industries on the Internet

• Early attempts at digital music delivery
  • The Internet Underground Music Archive
  • The Bulletin Board System
    
    
• Music on the Internet today
  • Genre sites and music guides
  • Record labels
  • Internet radio
  • Webzines

Part Three: Delivering music and multimedia over the internet

• Introduction
  • Media players
  • Plug-ins
    
    
• Bandwidth problems
  
  
• Digital audio compression
  • Adaptive differential pulse code modulation
  • MPEG audio compression
    
    
• Streaming media
  • Real Networks

Part Four: Protecting Music On The Internet

• Introduction
  
  
• The problem - audio piracy
  • Digital audio piracy
    
    
• The Digital Performance Right in Sound Recording Act of 1995
  • Performance rights - songs
  • Performance rights - recordings
    
    
• Digital audio watermarking
  • What is digital audio watermarking?
  • Royalty collection / broadcast monitoring
  • Repertoire stock control / sales tracking
  • Authentication
    
    
• How digital audio watermarking works
  
  
• Problems With protecting music on the internet

Part Five : Selling music on the Internet

• Traditional distribution channels
  • Record Manufacturers
  • Record Distributors
  • Retail Outlets
  • Record Clubs
    
    
• Music retail
  
  
• Music on demand - The future of music retailing

Conclusion: Music in the digital age

References

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