SAMPLING IN THE DIGITAL AGE : CULTURAL EVOLUTION, NETWORKED COMMUNITIES AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF AUTHORSHIP

Abstract

Purpose of the work. The purpose of this article is to explore the cultural, technological, and social transformations that have shaped the development of sampling practices from the second half of the 20 th century to the current digital age. The paper analyzes how the transition from geographically localized music scenes to decentralized network communities has influenced the mechanisms of sample diffusion, the change in their cultural meanings, and the rethinking of authorship. Particular attention is paid to the theoretical approaches of Mason Youngblood, which allow us to consider a sample as a multi-level cultural object that combines technical and sociocultural nature.
Research methodology. The article uses interdisciplinary analysis of empirical data, theoretical works, and elements of digital ethnography. The key empirical material is Yangblad's Network-Based Diffusion Analysis (NBDA), supplemented by research on reduced listening, digital temporality, and platform music culture. The combination of cultural, sound, and sociological approaches made it possible to identify the constant and variable elements of the sampling tradition in different historical periods.
Scientific novelty. The work proposes a conceptual combination of classical sampling theories with contemporary platform practices, allowing for a new understanding of authorship, networked forms of interaction, and the life cycle of sound objects in the digital environment.
Conclusions. The data obtained show that despite the removal of geographical barriers and the radical democratization of access to sound archives, collaboration remains the leading mechanism for the cultural transmission of sampling practices. Network communities – local, global, or algorithmically formed – preserve the social logic of shared learning and stylistic exchanges. Digital platforms such as TikTok, SoundCloud, and YouTube enhance the mobility of the sample as a cultural object, stimulating the emergence of microhook fragments, memetic circulation, and distributed authorship. As a result, the sample functions as a unit of cultural memory, capable of endless renewal without losing its recognizability. The results may be useful for researchers of digital culture, music producers, and cultural institutions interested in understanding contemporary mechanisms of creativity, authorship, and community formation in the digital music space.