Sales displacement and streaming music: Evidence from YouTube

Scott Hiller ()

Information Economics and Policy, 2016, vol. 34, issue C, 16-26

Abstract: In this paper I exploit the removal of Warner Music content from YouTube in January 2009, and its restoration in October 2009, as a plausible natural experiment to investigate the impact of online content availability on album sales. I find that this blackout on YouTube had both statistically and economically significant positive effects on Warner albums, which are quickly moderated as top-selling albums are dropped from the sample. Results also show that albums that have a very successful debut face more displacement from YouTube videos, while the effect on lower debuting albums may be moderated by a promotional effect.

Keywords: Online content; Sales displacement; Copyright policy; YouTube (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 L82 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (27)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:iepoli:v:34:y:2016:i:c:p:16-26

DOI: 10.1016/j.infoecopol.2015.12.002

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