It is so amusing to note historical music industry reactions in a Google search of “Steve Jobs fragmentized the music industry.” Oh, the Sturm und Drang. Bon Jovi: “Steve Jobs is killing the music industry” (2011).
Guess what? It’s now happening with the book publishing industry (less Steve Jobs RIP). They just don’t know it yet. They will. Remember the digital books revolution of the early 2010’s? Publishers were dragged kicking and screaming into that. Companies like my first startup, Breakaway Media LLC, went gangbusters with multiple NYT, Amazon, and USA Today bestsellers before the New York trads finally relented and realized, “If you can’t beat them, join them.”
Now where are they? A love/hate relationship with FAANG.
Transformation is inevitable, it’s all about who gets it and when. Better late than never. If Steve Jobs were alive today . . . what would he do about the book publishing industry?
