Alesis ADAT:

Recording system introduced in 1992 that consisted of an eight-track digital synthesizer/recorder that could be expanded to 128 tracks with the addition of units. With the ADAT, consumers could set up basic home studios inexpensively, while professionals could use the same technology to build highly sophisticated digital sound facilities.

Pro-Tools:

Music software program designed to run on personal computers. This software enabled recording engineers and musicians to gain even more control over every parameter of musical sound, including not only pitch and tempo but also the quality of a singer’s voice or an instrumentalist’s timbre.

Clear Channel:

Publicly traded corporation that owns more than 1,200 radio stations, 39 television stations, 100,000 advertising billboards, and 100 live performance venues, ranging from huge amphitheaters to dance clubs, enabling them to present more than 70 percent of all live events nationwide.

Napster:

Internet-based software program that enabled computer users to share and swap files, specifically music, through a centralized file server. A federal court injunction forced Napster to shut down operations in February 2001.

iPod:

Introduced in 2001 by Apple Computer; an MP3 player that can store up to 1,000 CD-quality songs on its internal hard drive. The iPod and other MP3 players enable listeners to build unique libraries of music reflecting their personal tastes (“playlists”).

Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA):

Trade association whose member companies— Universal, Sony, Warner Brothers, Arista, Atlantic, BMG, RCA, Capitol, Elektra, Interscope, and Sire Records—control the sale and distribution of approximately 90 percent of the offline music in the United States.