The record industry ruled the ‘90s. CDs were flying off shelves, profits soared, and executives popped champagne to celebrate the good times they thought would never end. But 1999, as Eamonn Forde expertly reveals, was the final party before the storm—the year the old system began to fall apart, one MP3 at a time.
In 1999: The Year The Record Industry Lost Control, Forde pulls back the velvet curtain on a business too big to fail—until it did. From the rise of Napster to the panic over piracy, from boardroom denial to dot-com chaos, this is the real story of how a digital revolution blindsided the gatekeepers. It wasn’t just about missed opportunities—it was about an entire industry culture cracking under the weight of change.
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s an autopsy. Told with insider insight and a journalist’s eye, 1999 explains how a year that started with dominance ended in disruption. If you love music history, digital disruption, or watching Goliath get knocked off balance, this is your next essential read.