Study of Platformization Potential in Music Event Business

Online platforms have disrupted parts of the capitalist economy, with allegedly severe consequences in the world of work. It is difficult to assess the potential magnitude of this effect, however, because little is known about the conditions under which platforms take over any given market, industry or occupation. This study examines live music in Germany and the UK, where online platforms do not dominate, despite considerable digitalization of market intermediaries. It is argued that the live music market frustrates online platforms because (1) assessments of value are qualitative; (2) the task is complex and contingent; and (3) the organizational field is fragmented. Digitalization has varying effects on the organization of work and exchange relationships between musicians, intermediaries and clients. It is found that, as the degree of digitalization increases, matching services tend to work less as a workers’ representative - which is traditionally the case for live music agents – and more as a force of marketization that disciplines workers by orchestrating price-based competition.