How Music Got Free by Stephen Witt Summary

How Music Got Free chronicles the untold story of digital music’s rise, blending the invention of the MP3 format, industrial piracy at CD factories, and the music industry’s collapse. Stephen Witt traces parallel narratives of German engineers, a factory worker-turned-pirate (Dell Glover), and Universal Music executive Doug Morris, revealing how piracy reshaped entertainment and birthed today’s streaming era.

Music enthusiasts, tech historians, and pop culture readers will find this book compelling. It appeals to those curious about the 2000s piracy wave, the hidden forces behind streaming’s rise, or the interplay between innovation and corporate resistance. The blend of investigative journalism and gripping storytelling suits fans of Michael Lewis-esque narratives.

Yes—Witt’s deep research and fast-paced storytelling make it essential for understanding modern media. The book masterfully connects technical breakthroughs (MP3s), systemic leaks (via CD plants), and industry upheaval, offering a definitive account of how $20 billion in music revenue vanished virtually overnight.

Dell Glover, a North Carolina CD factory worker, leaked nearly 2,000 albums pre-release by smuggling discs from his workplace. His collaboration with the piracy group Rabid Neurosis (RNS) made him one of history’s most prolific music pirates, enabling millions of illegal downloads of stars like Eminem and 50 Cent.

The MP3’s compression technology (invented by Karlheinz Brandenburg) allowed small file sizes, enabling easy piracy. Despite initial industry dismissal, it became the standard for digital audio, undermining CD sales and forcing a shift toward streaming—a transformation executives like Doug Morris struggled to navigate.

This phrase describes the collective impact of Glover and RNS, who leaked music to an unprecedented scale. While Glover physically stole CDs, online collaborators distributed them globally, creating a piracy network larger than iTunes at its peak.

The book details how MP3’s superior compression efficiency won over MP2, despite initial corporate resistance. German engineers fought to standardize MP3s, which eventually dominated due to their compatibility with early internet speeds and peer-to-sharing platforms.

RNS was an elite piracy collective that partnered with Glover to leak albums. Operating in encrypted chat rooms, they mastered “scene rules” for ripping, tagging, and distributing music—often releasing albums weeks before official launch dates.

As Universal Music’s CEO, Morris epitomized old-guard resistance. Despite signing rap icons like 50 Cent, he underestimated digital disruption, focusing on CD profits until piracy and iTunes forced a belated pivot to streaming.

Some argue the book underrepresents artists’ perspectives on piracy’s financial harm. For example, while Metallica and Eminem appear briefly, deeper analysis of how leaks affected creatives’ livelihoods is sparse.

Its lessons about disruptive tech resonate amid AI and streaming debates. The book warns how industries (like higher education or film) might face similar upheaval if they ignore technological shifts, as seen in Universal’s CD-era complacency.

Unlike dry historical accounts, Witt blends true-crime pacing with tech journalism. It complements works like Appetite for Self-Destruction but stands out for humanizing pirates and executives alike.