David Arditi, "Music Technology Panic Narratives Beyond Piracy: From Taping to Napster to TikTok" (Anthem Press, 2026)

The podcast explores the "piracy panic narrative" in the music industry, focusing on how major labels have historically framed copyright infringement as stealing from artists. David Arditi, author of *Music Technology Panic Narratives beyond Privacy, from Taping to Napster to TikTok*, discusses how the industry often elides its own interests with those of artists, despite the fact that artists often get a raw deal. Arditi highlights the album replacement cycle, where the industry profits from format changes, and the "home taping is killing music" campaign, which aimed to suppress independent artists. The conversation touches on Metallica's stance against Napster and the shift to streaming, where labels have equity and continue to profit, even as they claim to worry about the future of new artists due to platforms like Spotify. Finally, the podcast considers the impact of TikTok on music, including the shortening of songs and its use as a promotional tool.