Final answer:
Cassette-tape technology marked a major shift in the music industry by making the creation and distribution of music more accessible to artists outside of the traditional industry structure. The introduction of cassette tapes allowed artists to produce and share their music with a broader audience, which continued to evolve with subsequent technological advancements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The advent of cassette-tape technology significantly altered the music business by democratizing the production and distribution of music. Previously, the power to make and sell music was predominantly in the hands of music industry executives. However, with the introduction of cassette tapes, artists gained the ability to produce and share their music more easily. This change enabled more creative freedom and allowed a wider range of artists to find and build their audiences, especially as duplicating tapes was more accessible than other formats such as vinyl records or 8-track tapes.
Even as the music storage format evolved later on, from cassette tapes to CDs, and eventually to digital downloads and streaming services, the shift in power away from industry gatekeepers remained significant. Each technological advancement, including the portable cassette player like the Sony Walkman introduced in 1979, continued to empower artists and consumers alike by providing more options for how music could be enjoyed and distributed.