On The Success Of The UK Music Industry In The 21st Century

The UK music industry is an economic powerhouse of great value, an endless source of innovation and an integral part of the nation's soft power. As a world leader in music, Britain is one of the three largest music markets and one of the only three net exporters of music in the world. It's also the country with the highest album purchasing number per capita.This thesis argues that the 21st century has witnessed a significant breakthrough in the development of British popular music, which is of considerable research importance. The achievement of the British music industry in the 21st century can be best manifested in 4 aspects:its prominent economic contribution, numerous awards and impressive global sales of representative singers and bands, and the enormous cultural influence of the music-centered opening and closing ceremonies of 2012 London Olympic Games.Based on a range of first-hand reports and statistics of UK Official Singles Chart from 2000 to 2015, this thesis established a small database containing 459 top singles and its theme, genre and other features, in a genuine attempt to analyze and explore the pattern of these songs. The thesis arrives at the following conclusions:Firstly, British music has managed to resist the American erosion running neck to neck with American music in a fierce global music market. Secondly, British music passes on its glorious traditional strength in rock and pop, and prospers in the new century with talented singers and brands making great strides in global sales and awards. Thirdly, a new trend of star-making appeared in the 21st century with the help of talent shows across Britain. Compared with the traditional signing, talent shows are more down-to-earth and popularized, promoting music to be among the people. Fourthly, love songs continue to be the best-selling ones on the chart. With its smooth melodies, melancholy sentiment, and sensitive rendition, British songs have presented a sharp contrast with music from other countries, and thus forming its own unique and everlasting charm.The success of the music industry in 21st century is mainly attributed to 4 pillars. The first is the deeply rooted historical traditions. At the center of the 60s' British Invasion, the Beatles succeeded not only in commercial sales around the world but also in reversing a history of long-term dominance of American music, which remains a solid inspiration and foundation for music in the 21st century. The second pillar is the growing government support. British government is fully committed to protecting, promoting and providing financial assistance to the robust development of the industry. The third is the unique features of British music itself including its smooth melody and melancholy temperament. The fourth one is the sophisticated industrial management and business operations. Experienced in packaging and marketing, the industry harnesses the power of social media in face of digitalization.