This automatic communication naturally paved the way for independent artists to capitalize by using the Internet as a marketing tool for their music. This has been hugely beneficial for artists of all genres, but particularly for folksingers.
The Napster controversy of the turn of the century raised the issue of copyright ownership, how accessible music should be to the general public, and the importance of revisiting how artists make a living. Suddenly, the issues that the folk music community has, for decades, come to expect became controversies for mainstream music companies and artists.
Since folksingers, historically, are used to skirting around copyrights and the recording industry, adapting trends, and using the twists and turns of American culture toinfluence their craft, the digitalization of music has been almost a Godsend for folk artists, particularly those who can't afford to constantly tour.
The Internet has expanded the folk world from a few isolated communities who converge at festivals, to a worldwide network of players who "friend" each other on MySpace and share MP3s with endless listeners. Where hootenannies used to take place weekly or monthly with artists sharing their newest arrangements, they can now commune any time of day or night with musicians all over the globe, swapping songs and ideas, and innovating their craft through such discourse.
As a result, the folk artists of today sing songs infused with jazz, blues, country, gospel, and electronic music. What traditionalists consider to be an un-folking of folk music, others see as an opportunity for progress.
