From the margins to the mainstream: Creating value in Queensland's music industry

Like elsewhere, the music industry in Queensland is comprised of two tiers. The first tier is composed of products and services engaged by major music labels and commercially successful artists who at times attract significant sales. The second tier, or what is sometimes referred to as the 'grassroots' (Gibson, 2002), largely consists of independent musicians, production personnel and producers attracting both niche and at times mainstream audiences. Characterised by informally networked micro-economies, independent artists, niche markets and the exploitation of new technologies, the second tier is also of interest to cultural researchers who have tended to concentrate on sub-cultural music communities and music produced outside of the mass market first tier.