Jupiter square Uranus and the Revolutionization of the Music Industry

Record sales are plummeting, as more and more consumers download music for free or buy individual songs for 99 cents instead of purchasing full albums. Chalk it up to the mutual reception between Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Aquarius -- technological advances like peer-to-peer networks (Napster) enabled us to get our songs from many other internet users, instead of from a single authoritative source. And the RIAA responded by suing college students and grandmothers for stealing music.

Recently, a few mega-successful artists have thrown some kinks into the recording industry's business model. This month, Radiohead is offering their new album for download on a "pay what you like" model. You can get their music free, pay $18.98 ... whatever you wish. Also, Madonna -- after completing her current contract -- will work exclusively with a concert promoter, foregoing a record company completely. Many musicians recognize that the real money to be earned is from concert tickets and merchandise, not the actual recordings of their music, so some of them are choosing just to give their songs away.

It is no surprise, then, that these radical shifts in the music industry coincide with the 90-degree angle ("square") that expansive Jupiter and revolutionary Uranus are making for the third and final time in the mutable signs of Sagittarius and Pisces. Uranus seeks to break the rules and upset the status quo. This outer planet also relates to technological breakthroughs and the belief that all people should have equal access to cultural products. Jupiter expands this principle and revels in its success.

The signs in which these planets are currently residing speaks to the issues going on now. Pisces governs musicians and their creations. Sagittarius, which is ruled by Jupiter, relates to marketing, publishing, promoting ... all the responsibilities which have been traditionally taken on by the recording industry. The artist makes the music, and the companies sell albums -- by selling the public on the image of the artist. So during this Jupiter-Uranus square, Uranus is disrupting Jupiter, shaking up the way songs are shared with an artist's fans.

As Pluto enters Capricorn, we can expect a breakdown in the corporation, accompanied by said companies trying to maintain as much power as they can. They are making money off the artists, and don't want to give up a business model that is crumbling underneath their feet. It's now easier for major artists to connect directly with their fans, and emerging musicians are better able to find audiences through avenues such as MySpace and niche blogs. It is only a matter of time before the moguls find they are obsolete.