The EU’s
directive on copyright in the digital single market (the DSM directive)
has been associated with pervasive transformations in the exploitation
of copyright-protected work, particularly by holding online services,
such as YouTube, more accountable for the music consumed by their users.
The directive also features a series of other articles, however,
suggesting substantial strengthening of the entitlements of songwriters
and performers in the digitized music industry, such as the right to
proportionate remuneration, the right to transparency in terms of how
their work is exploited, and the right to have unfair contracts
adjusted. But what kinds of change will the directive actually trigger
for musicians? This article explores the notion of change by inquiring
how people invested in different parts of the Norwegian music industry
interpret the articles of the directive and what they expect from them.
The study finds that the directive inspires music industry players to
join forces in their struggles with online services, but that it goes on
to challenge deep-seated power structures within the music industry in
ways that also trigger opposition to the directive.
