Rockonomics: A Backstage Tour of What the Music Industry Can Teach Us About Economics and Life

 

　　普林斯頓大學知名教授艾倫‧克魯格Alan Krueger，曾任歐巴馬和柯林頓執政團隊的首席經濟顧問經濟學家，在此書中經由音樂產業，從超級巨星藝人到音樂執行，再從經紀人到主辦單位等各種角色，深入淺出地帶領讀者認識經濟學的關鍵原則，而這些驅力怎麼影響人們的日常經濟。

 

　　音樂產業是現今經濟發展趨勢的領頭指標，因為它是首當其沖受到科技進步影響的產業之一。音樂人如何創造並銷售他們的新作品和規劃演唱會巡演等，都可以為其他產業帶來借鑒，要如何因應科技發展所帶來的轉變，並努力適應生存。

 

　　書中藉由對樂隊成員、音樂執行人、經紀人和主辦單位的採訪，並帶入其收入、版稅、巡演日期和周邊商品銷售的數據，包含許多今日我們熟悉的名字──女神卡卡Lady Gaga, U2的主唱波諾Bono, 巴布‧狄倫Dylan、布魯斯·史普林斯汀Springsteen──將讀者帶入演藝界後台，展現音樂行業真正的運作方式，並且解析數十年來，音樂產業的經濟發展歷經了多大的變革。

 

　　在數位化和經由網路傳播音樂的科技發展之前，搖滾明星的大部分收入都來自唱片銷售。現今，即使是詹姆斯泰勒James Taylor或泰勒絲Taylor Swift這樣的超級巨星，唱片銷售的收入也大幅下降，真正的收入都來自於演唱會。例如在2017年，比利喬經由現場演出賺了2740萬美元，而從數位化銷售和串流媒體中賺了不到200萬美元。即便是比所有音樂家都創作出更多榜首歌曲的保羅麥卡尼，其收入有80%來自於現場音樂會。

 

　　經由此書，克魯格將揭開大多數人的疑問：一首歌如何變得流行？一個新的藝人要如何在現在這個贏家通吃的經濟中脫穎而出？音樂家和平凡的小小就業族要如何在數位經濟中求生存？《Rockonomics》一本不僅是談音樂產業的分析作品，滿足樂迷的崇拜癮頭，亦是一堂趣味橫生，實用卻仍讓人大開眼界的經濟學大師課。（文/博客來編譯）

Alan Krueger, a former chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, uses the music industry, from superstar artists to music executives, from managers to promoters, as a way in to explain key principles of economics, and the forces shaping our economic lives.

The music industry is a leading indicator of today's economy; it is among the first to be disrupted by the latest wave of technology, and examining the ins and outs of how musicians create and sell new songs and plan concert tours offers valuable lessons for what is in store for businesses and employees in other industries that are struggling to adapt.

Drawing on interviews with leading band members, music executives, managers, promoters, and using the latest data on revenues, royalties, streaming tour dates, and merchandise sales, Rockonomics takes readers backstage to show how the music industry really works--who makes money and how much, and how the economics of the music industry has undergone a radical transformation during recent decades.

Before digitalization and the ability to stream music over the Internet, rock stars made much of their income from record sales. Today, income from selling songs has plummeted, even for superstars like James Taylor and Taylor Swift. The real money nowadays is derived from concert sales. In 2017, for example, Billy Joel earned ＄27.4 million from his live performances, and less than ＄2 million from record sales and streaming. Even Paul McCartney, who has written and recorded more number one songs than anyone in music history, today, earns 80 percent of his income from live concerts. Krueger tackles commonly asked questions: How does a song become popular? And how does a new artist break out in today's winner-take-all economy? How can musicians and everyday workers earn a living in the digital economy?

Author
 
　　ALAN B. KRUEGER was the James Madison Professor of Political Economy at Princeton University, and a former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama. He also served as assistant secretary for economic policy and chief economist of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He was a recipient of the Moynihan Prize.