Economy of the Ether: Early Radio History and the Commodification of Music

Abstract

The early history of radio is an absorbing and complex saga. Often told from the narrative perspective of its inventors, technical milestones, or regulatory developments, little has been written about the commercial history of early radio and its influence on the commodification of music. Using a theoretical framework of commodification based upon the concepts of Ideologies, Reification, and Fetishism, this article builds upon an earlier case study of the player piano. Attention is given to under-researched aspects of early radio history such as the department store station phenomenon circa 1910-1931. As a conclusion, some observations are made about commodification's impact on the current state of the music business, the future relevance of radio, and how theory can inform future research.

Taking The Liberty: Toward a Theory of Copyright and Creativity

“…A ritual economic view can interpret the recent financial crash in the music industry not merely as an inevitable result of digital downloads and piracy, but more broadly as a rejection of the over-commodification of music and a realignment of the economics of music with its ritualistic role in human interaction. 50 In consideration of copyright specifically, it is common practice among many musicians today to encourage the infringement of their own works by reposting fan cover versions of their songs on social media. This phenomenon simply cannot be explained by a rational actor position.…”