In the beginning of the 21st century, something was happening that no one saw coming. Napster, the world’s first online service for music allowed music fans to get access to millions of songs on the internet and download them for free.

Napster would become a blessing and a curse for the music industry. Many artists felt that fans were stealing their music online without paying for it, starting the beginning of the end of Napster, and the birth of a new generation of music.

Over the past 20 years, the music industry has seen a drastic shift in the way our society consumes and listens to music.

For 19-year-old music major, Vanessa Alvarez the progress music distribution has made over the years has impressed her.

“Before, all we had was the radio or a CD player to listen to music,” said Alvarez. “Now there are many more ways to listen to music.”

Before the first iPod, people were listening to music on portable CD players, going to record stores like Sam Goody and Best Buy to get their favorite artist’s music.

Starting with the first model of the iPod in 2001, followed by Apple’s digital music service iTunes in 2003. Both products would jump-start a change in the music industry forever.

In 2003, Apple introduced a new way for music fans and online users to consume their music. The launch of iTunes consisted of 200,000 songs with each song costing 99 cents each. This new concept for music changed everything from the way we get our music to how we listen to music. Fans would now be able to download music while still supporting the artists they love.

For many years, iTunes would become the dominate force in the music world. However the music industry would have to adapt once again. In 2008, a new online music service would be launched called Spotify, becoming the first music streaming service provided for free albeit with advertisements. Spotify allows for millions of songs and albums to be streamed at no cost. A paid subscription provides an ad free experience for users.

Spotify, Apple music, and other streaming services, have changed the way we listen to music, as well as changed the way the music industry operates today. Just like iTunes changed the music landscape before Spotify, music streaming services are making it easier for artists to put out the music they want directly to the consumer.

Hayli Harrah, a 25-year-old child development major, believes that the new direction that music is going in with streaming services are good, however a lot of music is being pushed out at a faster pace than 10 years ago.

”Its cool because you can get access to a lot of music,” said Harrah.”I think there are too many formats, a lot of music is coming out too fast and it needs to slow down.”

As streaming services continue to prosper and rise in popularity, it is clear that this new era in music is here to stay. This is the future for the music industry, music is now at everyone’s fingertips with a click of a button.