Technology and Media

Music Streaming Platforms and the Digital Music Economy Music streaming platforms are the central marketplace for modern listening. They connect listeners to vast catalogs, power personalized recommendations, and shape how revenue is earned across the digital music economy. This article explains how platforms influence licensing, discovery, and the balance between artists, publishers, and listeners. Revenue flows through several channels. Subscriptions fund most income, while free tiers supported by ads add value for many users. The platform then distributes a share of earnings to rights holders, who allocate portions to labels, publishers, songwriters, and independent creators. The exact splits depend on contracts, territories, and the mix of services a listener uses. For artists, the math can feel opaque, but understanding these moves helps in planning releases and partnerships. ...

Video Streaming: Delivery, Quality, and Personalization Video streaming today relies on three linked ideas: how content is delivered, how quality adapts to networks, and how personalization makes viewing feel smooth and useful. When one part stalls, viewers notice fast. Delivery starts with a global network of servers called a content delivery network, or CDN. Most videos are split into small pieces and sent over HTTP. Adaptive bitrate (ABR) lets the player switch between versions encoded at different speeds. This helps viewers with slower connections stay in sync with the story. Shorter chunks, around 2–4 seconds, help the player switch quickly as conditions shift. Edge caching brings content closer to the user, which cuts delay and improves startup time. ...