The Norwegian Music Export Business - A case study on the digital recorded music industry in Bergen

Abstract

This study seeks to discover the Norwegian music export business where the digital recorded music industry in Bergen will be explored. It seeks to understand the current issues in today’s music industry where it examines how digitalization have affected the export and marketing strategies for artists, gatekeepers and other stakeholders within the industry. Based on in-depth interviews with informants from the industry in Bergen, the aim of this study is to demonstrate how the music export business can be understood by conducting a case study of Bergen, in particular with a perspective on the digital recorded music industry in the city. It seeks to discover which valuable position the music industry of Bergen signifies for Norway’s culture and how export of music from Bergen can contribute in strengthening the nation’s identity within international markets. Additionally, the research examines how the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic affected the business actors, and in which ways it has affected their central strategies for export activities.