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ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article history:

Received XX Month 2024

Revised XX Month 2024

Accepted XX Month 2024

Online first

Published 1 September 2024

 A new era of music consumption can be seen in digital music services. Users may now more easily access their favourite songs whenever and wherever they want thanks to the availability of iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify. This lessens the requirement for physical music purchases. With more people using digital music services, it is crucial for service providers to comprehend the factors that contributed to the widespread switch from purchasing CDs in stores to streaming music online. The UTAUT2 paradigm for technology acceptance and adoption is examined in this article, where it is categorised in relation to digital music services. The seven UTAUT2 model determinants are distinguished and examined in relation to online music outlets. Several remarks and ideas are made in order to enhance the good or service offerings.

Keywords:

Digital

Music

Technology Acceptance

DOI:

10.24191/jcrinn.v9i2
# INTRODUCTION Since Napster was first introduced in 1999, digital music services have evolved significantly. Peer-to-peer file-sharing was first made possible on the Internet by Napster. The music industry, the music product, and music consumption have all seen notable changes as a result of the launch of Napster. Since then, the whole music industry has started to transform its established value chain, as illustrated in Figure 1. Although digital music services were introduced, the music industry did not depart from the established value chain shown in Figure 1. The typical value chain's steps were all completed without being bypassed. The output, which changed from a tangible good to a digital version, is the only thing that has changed. Similar to how the advent of CDs signaled the end of cassette tapes, the availability of legally obtained music on the Internet has eliminated the necessity for compact discs (CD) and CD covers. Numerous digital music providers have established themselves as leaders in the industry. These digital music services, which range from Spotify to Apple's iTunes and Apple Music, have made it easier for users and customers to access music. These platforms enable the legal selling and distribution of digital music over the internet. The global recorded music industry generated 64.1% of its revenue in 2022 through streaming from digital music services, topping all other sources including physical music (Stassen, 2023). Fig. 1. Music Industry’s Traditional Value Chain Source: Graham, Burnes, Lewis & Langer, 2004 ## Background In the past few years, a number of problems involving digital music services have come to light. Questions about the viability and sustainability of digital music services have been raised by issues like Intellectual Property rights, illegal music downloading, the existence of niche markets, fine-tuning of current pricing/distribution models, changes in Internet connectivity, and digital compression technologies (Parc & Kim, 2020; Brennan, 2020; Murphy & Hume, 2022; Meier, 2017). Both sellers and consumers of music have expressed worry about the aforementioned difficulties. The emergence of digital music services is a phenomenon that will not go away any time soon due to the Internet's and its associated technologies' rapid advancement. The Internet, e-commerce, and now m-commerce have changed how goods and services are distributed (Taneja, 2021) and opened up new avenues for online shopping (Ertz, Jo, Kong & Sarigöllü, 2022). This resulted in the development of the digital economy, giving retailers access to a wider market for supplies and a better way to contact customers who have trouble visiting traditional stores (Stofkova, Laitkep & Stofkova, 2022). According to Stassen (2023), the global revenue from digital music services is expected to increase to US$ 30.57 billion in 2023. On the other side, it was anticipated that more people would utilize digital music services globally, going from 1.26 billion in 2018 to 1.4 billion in 2022. The figures above demonstrate that user acceptance and usage of digital music services are growing globally. As a result, companies offering digital music services like Apple and Spotify should be aware of the factors that influence user acceptance and uptake of their products. Service providers can strengthen their competitive advantages by figuring out what influences user acceptance and uptake of digital music services. Additionally, this will assist service providers in fending off threats posed by competing solutions that permit unrestricted free access to music. Based on Venkatesh et al.'s (2012) Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2), this article examines a number of research on consumers' acceptance and uptake of digital music services. The authors evaluate previous studies to determine the key factors that influence user acceptability and adoption. These factors are then utilized to inform suggestions and recommendations for service providers so that they can fully realize the potential of their platforms. # LITERATURE REVIEW ## UTAUT2 The following portrays the UTAUT2 model: ![UTAUT2-model-after-Venkatesh-et-al-2012.png](660e6c35b01fc_media/media/image1.png) Fig. 2. The UTAUT2 Model Source: Venkatesh et al., 2012 The UTAUT2 model is an advancement of the Venkatesh et al. (2003) created Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). In the original UTAUT model, it was discovered that behavioural intention was directly impacted by performance expectations, effort expectations, and social influence, whereas usage was affected by enabling conditions and behavioural expectations. Experience, age, gender, and voluntariness are recognized as having moderating impacts. Then, UTAUT2 was expanded to add factors related to consumer use (Venkatesh et al. 2012). Habit was introduced as a factor affecting both behavioural intention and usage, while hedonic incentive and price value were added as determinants of behavioural intention. The moderating influence of voluntarism was removed from the model. ### 2.1.1. Performance Expectancy Performance expectancy describes how a person views the advantages of employing technology to carry out particular tasks (Venkatesh et al., 2012). Consumers want digital music services to be able to give engaging experiences in addition to utilitarian features, according to a 2019 study by Mae. According to other studies (Lee & Kim, 2022; Sawitri & Alhasin, 2022; Roslan, Sahak & Sheriff, 2022), performance features such as music catalogue, content sampling, trial services, unbundling attribute, latest information about the song/artist, and download speed have an impact on users' expectations when using digital music services. ### 2.1.2. Effort Expectancy According to Venkatesh et al. (2012), effort expectation is the simplicity of using a specific system. The term "effort expectancy" in the context of this article refers to the user's expectation that using digital services to obtain music should be simple and result in improved overall service quality (Kim, Oh & Kim, 2021). Digital music services should, according to several previous studies (Kim, Oh & Kim, 2021; Roslan, Sahak & Sheriff, 2022; Alan, Kabadayi & Bakis, 2019), have features that make them easier to use by enhancing user experience, facilitating the discovery of new music, and lowering potential risks. ### 2.1.3. Social Influence According to Venkatesh et al. (2012), social influence is the impact that social context and expectations have on a person's choice of whether or not to engage in a specific behaviour. Chen, Ying & Zou (2019) proposed a social-contagion progression on this sort of cultural consumption in the context of digital music services, which is the influence of the peer's behaviour on online music purchases or downloads (Kim, Oh & Kim, 2021; Kabadayi & Bakis, 2019). The opinions of family and friends, on the other hand, matter when deciding which digital music platform to use (Bello & Garcia, 2021). ### 2.1.4. Facilitating Conditions According to Venkatesh et al. (2012), facilitating conditions refer to an individual's level of confidence in having the tools and assistance needed to use a system. The availability and speed of an Internet connection, knowledge of how to use the Internet (Kim, Oh & Kim, 2021), compatibility between various file formats (Sawitri & Alhasin, 2022), and support services (Coelho & Mendes, 2019) are all facilitating conditions with regard to the acceptance of digital music services. According to Kim, Oh & Kim (2021), consumers who have the necessary knowledge and tools to use digital music services are more likely to engage in more predictable behaviour. ### 2.1.5. Hedonic Motivation According to Venkatesh et al. (2012), hedonic motivation in UTAUT2 refers to the pleasure or gratification gained from employing a technology. According to research by Venkatesh et al. (2012) and Childers et al. (2001), hedonic motivation influences consumer behaviour online and the acceptance of technology. Studies by Lee & Kim (2022), Soenarjono (2022), and Kabadayi & Bakis (2019) in the field of digital music services come to the conclusion that people are eager to purchase music through online platforms when such sites are dedicated to satisfying their emotional and affective needs, supporting the idea of enjoyment-based motivations in decision to adopt such services. ### 2.1.6. Price Value Price value is the cognitive interchange between the financial expenses and advantages of using a technology-based application, according to Ventakesh et al. (2012) in UTAUT2. The cost of using such services still affects consumers' decisions to utilize the program or hunt for another illegal and free source, even if the introduction of online music services has reduced the costs of creation, delivery, and storage (Sawitri & Alhasin, 2022). Price influences the intention to use digital music services and serves as a major motivator, according to a number of studies, including those by Li, Luo, Qiu & Bandyopadhyay (2020), Coelho & Mendes (2019), and Parc and Kim (2020). ### 2.1.7. Habit Two opposing perspectives on habit—the habit/automaticity point of view and the instant activation point of view—are presented in UTAUT2 (Ventakesh et al. 2012). However, the UTAUT2 model is still able to pinpoint habit as a component that affects both acceptance and adoption of digital or online technical applications. The influence of habit on behaviour comes from rapid activation, whereas the influence of habit on usage comes from automatic association (Venkatesh et al. 2012). Other earlier studies (Paul & Kundu, 2020; Barata and Coelho, 2021; Hosey, Vujovic, St. Thomas, Garcia-Gathright & Thom, 2019) have also supported the influence of habit on intention (acceptance) and/or behaviour (adoption), adding to its impact on technological acceptance. ### 2.1.8. Behavioral Intention According to Fishbein and Ajzen (1975), behavioural intention, or acceptability in the context of this study, is a measure of how strongly a person intends to carry out a particular behaviour and can foresee actual usage. The possibility that an individual's goal will be reflected in real behaviour is projected to increase as his or her desire to carry out a specific behaviour increase (Ajzen, 1991). The same prediction can be implemented in a music-specific context, in this case, digital music services, taking into account the apparent beneficial interaction that was previously indicated (Hwang & Oh, 2021). # DISCUSSION There are a number of factors that influence people's willingness to accept and use digital music services, according to the evaluation of prior studies done in the previous section. In order to stand out in the market, it is critical for service providers to recognize these aspects. The UTAUT2 model's seven independent variables should be able to assist suppliers of digital music services in shaping their platforms in a way that will draw in and keep more loyal customers. This section will describe how companies or firms engaged in offering digital music services can practically apply the determinants determined in accordance with the UTAUT2 model. For a digital music services provider looking to improve its platform, performance expectancy and effort expectancy can be combined into a single area of focus. Enhancing an online music platform’s usability feature is another technique to make it easier to use. Ease of use is a performance attribute that can be related to genre-based song grouping and monthly charge payment options. Users will find it easier to look for music by narrowing the usage of the search feature accessible at all digital music platforms by categorizing artists or songs into particular genres. It eliminates the requirement for customers to pay a subscription fee each time they listen to a song they haven't heard before. Using digital music services is also strongly influenced by social factors. Spotify has a sound strategy for boosting the adoption of their service among music lovers by using social influence. The opinions of family and friends are important when deciding which digital music platform to use, as noted in the research study. Three devices are covered by the monthly Spotify subscription plan under a single account. This feature encourages account sharing among family members and friends so that the three-device limit per account can be used to its fullest. To compete in the market against other competitors like Apple, this should be given considerable consideration. The facilitating conditions are another factor that has been explored in the literature study that influences the acceptability and adoption of digital music services. The capacity to operate on several operating systems, support services, and Internet access are some facilitating circumstances that are essential. Online music platform providers have no control over the internet connection. On the other side, service providers can enhance the availability of their inter-operating systems and support services. In addition to iTunes, Apple has done an excellent job of establishing a presence in the android market with its Apple Music app. Digital music service providers have a lot of opportunity to improve when it comes to hedonic incentive. Users' happiness can be affected by a number of problems when utilizing online music applications, such as the platform's latency and frequent app crashes. Providers of digital music services might think about designing their platforms so that applications don't need powerful hardware and sophisticated software. This will assist in lowering or eliminating crashes or lags that can irritate users. Utilizing a technology will make you happy and satisfied, which will lead to more usage. Acceptance of digital music services is undoubtedly influenced by perceptions of value and pricing. These days, the costs associated with using an internet music platform might be viewed as being fairly low. For instance, using Spotify or Apple Music in Malaysia typically costs RM 15.00 a month, which includes unrestricted access to all of the platform's content. Compared to an international artist CD, which costs about RM 40.00, this is far less expensive. In addition, unlike regular MP3s downloaded from unlawful peer-to-peer sharing sites, music on Spotify and Apple Music have high-quality sound. To completely capitalize on the price-value relationship, service providers should take other aspects of improvement into account. Technology use is influenced by habits as well. This also holds true for online music services. The universal practice in instant chatting is to use WhatsApp. If it comes to social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter are squarely in competition. The same is true for online music services; for example, Malaysian users have a choice between Spotify and Apple platforms. All user decisions may be influenced by habits. For instance, despite the availability of other options, a user who is already addicted to Spotify will constantly utilize the same online music service. In order to assure continuing usage of their platforms, service providers must both draw in new customers and make utilizing them a habit. # CONCLUSION To sum up, the UTAUT2 model's independent factors that have an impact on behavioural intentions and use behaviour can also be applied to the setting of digital music services. The acceptability and adoption of online music platforms can be explained by all the aspects including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and habit. The seven factors can be used by service providers to plan and strategy in order to maximise the potential of their organization. Additionally, entrepreneurs looking to enter the market—particularly one that is expanding, like Malaysia for example—can build their platforms using the criteria from the UTAUT2 model. Researchers may think about including more determinants in upcoming studies from the standpoint of the Parasuraman et al. (2005) e-service quality (E-S-QUAL) model. The E-S-QUAL model uses determinants like effectiveness, system accessibility, fulfilment, and privacy to forecast user satisfaction and behaviour. Additionally, one can think about researching the moderating impacts of race and profession on acceptability and adoption, particularly in a multiracial country like Malaysia. If different races have varied preferences for digital music services, it would be interesting. # Acknowledgements (DOUBLE-BLIND reviewing. Leave the section as is. Only include Acknowledgements text in the final submission paper) This section is compulsory. The following is an example of an acknowledgement statement: The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Cawangan Sarawak, Faculty of Business and Management, and Faculty of , Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia for providing the facilities and financial support on this research. # Conflict of interest statement (DOUBLE-BLIND reviewing. Leave the section as is. Only include CONFLICT OF INTERESTS text in the final submission paper) # This section is compulsory. The following is an example of a conflict-of-interest statement: The authors agree that this research was conducted in the absence of any self-benefits, commercial or financial conflicts and declare the absence of conflicting interests with the funders. # Authors’ contributions Each author contribution must be stated clearly reflecting each contribution to the body of the work and manuscript. Authors can refer to [CRediT](http://credit.niso.org/) (Contribution Roles Taxonomy) for the detailed information about individual contributions to the work. For example ***(Double Blind Review: Leave this section blank until final camera-ready submission)*:** **Anis Muneerah Shaiful Bahari**: Conceptualisation, methodology, formal analysis, investigation and writing-original draft; **Nurhaswani Alias**: Conceptualisation, methodology, and formal analysis; **Zainovia Lockman**: Conceptualisation, formal analysis, and validation; **Haslina Misran**: Conceptualisation, supervision, writing- review and editing, and validation. # References Alan, A. K., Kabadayi, E. T., & Bakis, S. (2019). Creating experience in digital music services: the role of personal innovativeness and mobility–creating experience in digital music services. In *Structural Equation Modeling Approaches to E-Service Adoption* (pp. 125-147). IGI Global. 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