This research addresses the following experiences as a contribution to the topic of Blockchain
applications. First, the modeling of a Music Industry revenue distribution problem. Second, the
Integration of Blockchain platforms and Legacy software. Third, the design of an algorithm that solves
the distribution of Digital Assets across organizations within the Music Industry. Ultimately, the
analysis of the Performance of Blockchain platforms (Ethereum and Hyperledger) in terms of Latency
and Throughput. Additionally, the purpose of the research is to show that the modeling of a Music
Industry payment system is possible using Blockchain Technology. Therefore, the old business model
of the Music Industry, which possessed flaws and inefficiencies, could potentially change into a trustless
environment benefiting all the participants y paying their contributions instantaneously. Moreover, the
necessity of a solution is reinforced by an internship experienced in a MITACS project in conjunction
with a company called Membran to design and implement a Blockchain solution that shortens the gap
between Spotify and the payment to the Labels and Artists.
The system distributes value by automatically calculating payments whenever the Digital
Assets (Music Tracks revenue) are imported. The application defines specific roles and variables to
simulate the Music Industry. For example, Distributors as an entry point and Artists at the end of the
chain. Although, any participant within the network can create agreements and benefit from the
distribution.
The implementation of this research took the Hyperledger Composer framework to use the
Hyperledger Fabric Blockchain as the Private Distributed Ledger, and the public Blockchain Ethereum
with the Ganache Client for development purposes. Extensive research of the strengths and weaknesses
of these technologies included the descriptions of features like the consensus algorithms, modular
architectures, and smart contracts.
Ultimately, the performance of these technologies compared Hyperledger Composer and
Ethereum in terms of Latency and Throughput. The conclusion of this research pointed that Hyperledger
Composer with features like the role-based architecture for applications, Programmable ChainCode
(Smart Contracts), and Business Network Definitions, is better suitable for modeling customized
solutions and outperforms Ethereum in terms of performance when testing the same number of
transactions, the same logic of the chain code and the same machine environment
