Remember when the gramophone destroyed the live performance? The gramophone, and recorded music in general, did destroy the live performance. People liste

Remember when the gramophone destroyed the live performance? The gramophone, and recorded music in general, did destroy the live performance. People listen to much less music live, even as they listen to more music overall. It's also much harder to make a living as a mid-level professional musician even as the few at the top make millions. That said, I do think these are positive changes: excellent music in huge varieties is much more widely available than in pre-recording days. (The aspect of the change that makes me most ambivalent is its effect on people making their own music. When you can't just turn on music--music far better than you're able to create--people sing for themselves and each other. People still sing some, but most are now embarrassed to sing in front of others. You're basically supposed to be ashamed of your singing ability.)