“How Digital Discovery Works and What It Means for Consumers, Creators and Culture” is the subtitle for this obligatory reading for anyone who feels involved in music. As for myself: the iPod picture on the cover didn’t attract my attention. Why? Because I am old-time music collector and I need vinyl or cd to make me swing , an MP3 is just like dust on my computer. So the iPod and its culture seems to be not touching me. I only picked up this book as a pass time reading during a boring beach holiday.

And when you are not expecting much.. You do not end up disappointed. I felt like reading an economical study under a coconut tree. David Jennings academically explains how today’s youth on-tight-budgets is switching their music consumption from cd’s to download music. I had to correct my own opinion that downloading music is just a stealing from artists. I was totally unaware of the “discovery” aspect, the “promotional” effect, how could I ignore this impact on the music scene?

This book is packed with examples: blogs, personalized online radio, discovery-services (you know Last.fm?) and many more sites lead to discovery and consumption. David is splitting up the fans into Savants, Enthusiasts and Originators. He is explaining how this digital discovery works.

Yes I am a music fan, and yes I am a collector, but this book made me aware that today’s internet with Web 2.0 is offering me more opportunities in finding out about music I like. When I was a young kid I went to the DJ-orientated record shops in my town to listen to that week releases and newly arrived imports. Today most of this discovering new music can be experienced on the web!

I not want to go into detail, but this is definately recommended reading if you feel involved with today’s music industry. And that is why it gets a small place here on the blog.

You can read the full preface here , it is David Jennings own site, also updates can be found there.

To order, UK Amazon , marketplace (cheaper), US Amazon, or cheaper.

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