2012/11/01 by Joel Waldfogel · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Business, Management and Accounting · #Art History and Market Analysis #Copyright and Intellectual Property #Intellectual Property and Patents
paper · doi:10.1086/665824
crossref issued 2012/11/01 · crossref published 2012/11/01 · crossref published-print 2012/11/01 · openalex publication_date 2012/11/01 · crossref created 2013/03/11 · crossref deposited 2018/04/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/25 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
While some recent technological changes reduced revenue for digital products, other changes reduced the costs of bringing creative works to market. Therefore, we do not know whether copyright protection now provides weaker incentives to bring forth new products. This paper assesses the quality of new recorded music since Napster was established in 1999. First, I create an index of high-quality music from critics’ retrospective lists. Next, I rely on music sales and airplay data, using the idea that if one vintage’s music is better than another’s, its superior quality should generate higher sales or greater airplay through time, after accounting for depreciation. I find no evidence of a reduction in the quality of music released since 1999, and the two usage-based indices suggest an increase since then. Researchers and policy makers thinking about the strength of copyright protection should supplement their attention to producer surplus with concern for consumer surplus.