Dr Robert Prey
Associate Professor of Digital Culture
Robert Prey studies the relationship between technology, culture and capitalism. His current focus is the creative labour of musicians as they adapt to online platforms around the world.
Recorded:
22 Jan 2026
22 Jan 2026
Speakers:
With Dr Robert Prey and Dr Seonok Lee
With Dr Robert Prey and Dr Seonok Lee
Event Series:
The Human Interface Podcast
The Human Interface Podcast
This episode is the first in Season 2 of the OII podcast, recently relaunched as “The Human Interface.”
It explores how streaming impacts musicians: while it’s never been easier for musicians to release music, the economics of the music industry and online streaming mean earning a living has become even more challenging.
The researchers break down how the ‘pro rata’ model of streaming platforms dilutes payments to musicians, and draw on findings from a survey of 1,200 musicians across five countries to reveal cultural and economic differences in what it means to be a musician today.
Speakers
Dr Seonok Lee
lecturer, Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen
She earned her PhD at UBC, Vancouver, Canada. Her earlier work in South Korea examined social and labour movements among undocumented migrant workers through long-term participant observation.