LONG LIVE THE FUTURE. A RETURN TO FOREVER

I have a few thoughts on my past, and a few broad stroke thoughts on the future.

As I reflect on the 20th anniversary of a pivotal moment in my career, I’m reminded of the initial 6-week tour that set everything in motion. April 2023, commemorates the month I boarded a tour bus parked in the Tower Records lot on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood and embarked on a journey that would change my life forever.?Over the course of that next year, I had the privilege of traveling the U.S., Canada, and Europe with renowned artists such as Pete Yorn, Grandaddy, Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, Elbow, and Super Furry Animals. I had the opportunity to work alongside these artists in a variety of venues, from intimate clubs, late-nite TV appearances, to iconic theaters and massive music festivals across Europe. Following my time on the road, I spent almost a decade at MTV as a music executive and simultaneously managed bands and songwriters, one of which co-wrote several Lana Del Rey songs that have collectively amassed well over 1 billion streams (and counting). I have extensive experience negotiating recording and music publishing contracts for clients, and have also served as executive producer on albums and released records on vinyl and digitally through my boutique record label. Music has been a constant source of inspiration and guidance throughout my professional journey, particularly over the last two decades. Though this is a mere glimpse into the past 20 years, there is so much more to the tale.?

Reflecting on the future and speculating about the possibilities of the next two decades has been a frequent preoccupation of mine since the start of 2020. Although this may be a common musing, I find myself contemplating almost daily. The Covid-19 pandemic brought to light how insignificant certain things can be when viewed in the larger context.

The spring of 2020 brought a wave of fear and uncertainty as the world grappled with this still relatively unknown virus. The experience was shocking and has caused people to experience increased levels of anxiety. During the time when we were confined to our homes, isolated from others and ordering junk food from Instacart, I looked deeper within to contemplate on my pre-pandemic life and ponder about the possibilities of the future.

In the years leading up to the pandemic, I had a friend who would often jokingly say “it must be Mercury in Retrograde” when things would go wrong in the world, our personal lives, or when my electronics would go haywire. I used to think this was ridiculous and associated it with late-night TV astrologers or some sort of conspiracy chatter. However, as time went on, I noticed things in my life would often become chaotic and sure enough those times we were in Mercury in Retrograde. This made me curious about the subject and I started reading more about it.?

I wouldn’t say I’m a true believer, but I’m definitely intrigued by the concept.

I want to clarify that these are my personal opinions and intuitions that I’ve developed over the past few years and I don’t consider myself a clairvoyant cultural anthropologist. I’m just a person dedicated to the realms of creativity, including music, media, and technology.

As I sit here and enjoy my Ethiopian drip coffee on a cold morning in Los Angeles, I’m transported back in time by the nostalgic beats of De La Soul’s groundbreaking 1989 album, ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ pounding in my headphones — RIP Plug 2 — . Despite the passing of decades since its initial release, this instant classic has stood the test of time, and now, thanks to recent sample clearance issues, it will finally be available on all streaming platforms in 2023. I was lucky enough as a teen to see De La Soul perform live in the summer of 1989, opening for Slick Rick and LL Cool J at the Universal Amphitheatre in L.A.

Nostalgia is undervalued.

The anticipation for this re-release is palpable, especially as we approach the arrival of the albums’ street date. It also feels as though we’re on the cusp of a significant shift in the world, one that could have a lasting impact on our culture for years to come. I’ll tell ya, I had that same feeling when De La Soul initially dropped this album in the Spring of 1989. It’s hard to explain. They were groundbreaking and visually alien to most rap fans at the time, and the music video audience was blown away. A trio of rappers incorporating a flower power hippy meets paisley aesthetic, opting for leather African medallions instead of thick gold rope chains. I remember at the time thinking it seemed overly cartoonish, but the songs were so good, any of those fashion criticisms melted away pretty quick and it all eventually made sense. It was fresh-out-the-box at that time and a subtle culture shift was happening. The production was unique. It was a hand-stitched quilt of beats, rhymes, and wall-to-wall samples. The album paved the way and opened the floodgates for multiple-sample-use legitimacy for the likes of Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul’s Boutique’ and Digital Underground’s ‘Sex Packets’ and frankly most rap records of the early-to-mid 90s. With ‘3 Feet High and Rising’, producer Prince Paul took his already accomplished skills from his previous group Stetsasonic to new heights. Prince Paul singlehandedly took bits and pieces of inspiration from era classics like Eric B & Rakim’s ‘Paid In Full’, Ultramagnetic MC’s ‘Critical Beatdown’, and EPMD’s ‘Strictly Business’ and whipped up his own formula of groundbreaking sights and sounds. This seminal album was a game-changer, drawing an unintentional line in the sand in the music world, as technology and technique took center stage. It was a true masterpiece that defined a new era, ushering in the 90s and bidding farewell to the 80s. ????

2023 also marks the 35th anniversary when I saw Prince Paul with Stetsasonic, EPMD, Ice-T, and Public Enemy.

I actually still have my original ticket stub ????

I don’t want to come off like some paranoid conspiracy theorist, or someone who’s fringe-theory curious, but as astrologers anticipate the arrival of Pluto’s entry into Aquarius starting around March 23, 2023 and lasting until mid-June 2023, I can’t shake off the feeling that something big is happening. The world as we know it is undergoing a significant transformation and we’re bidding farewell to the past and embracing the new future.?

Can you sense an impending shift?

It’s not just the re-release of the De La Soul album that has me feeling nostalgic to the world we once knew, or the fact that we’ve been stuck on a global pandemic hamster wheel. We are entering into a new world that many people may not be quick to adapt to or just simply resist. I hate to tell ya, there’s no going back at this point.

If you believe that humanity has been gradually approaching a dead end in the past 20 years, you may be shocked to find that this dead end has a door and we’re all gonna pass through it in 2024.

According to astrologers I’ve been monitoring, it’s crucial to note that the last time the world experienced a shift of this magnitude was between the years 1778 and 1798. This period was marked by significant upheaval, revolution, and technological progress that set the stage for the first industrial revolution. The coming months of March to June 2023 will be a brief window of change, but it will serve as a signal of the more significant transformations to come. The rest of 2023 may see some challenges, but Pluto will re-enter Aquarius in January 2024 and last until 2044. Personally, I’m particularly focused on the potential for a brand new technological industrial revolution.??

I’ve spent my entire lifetime attracted to anything unusual, unorthodox, unpopular, and weird.?

You may be questioning the relevance of this astrological discussion. Throughout my life, I’ve tended to seek out and explore information from all perspectives. Whether it be studying album liner notes, tuning into late night radio broadcasts, reading, touring the world with bands, attending and speaking at music conferences, listening to podcasts, or just simply asking a lot of questions. I’ve always made a point to approach everything with an open mind and keen ears. I’m constantly absorbing information like a sponge, and I mention the “astrological” stuff here as one of the many recent perspectives from which I gather information.

I don’t have a crystal ball nor am I a crystal-clutching tarot card weirdo. These are simply my personal musings, intuition, and observations as we prepare to enter this new phase of our lives. While astrological events can be used as a tool for understanding and interpreting the world around us, it’s important to remember that predictions and forecasting are not an exact science and should be taken with a grain of salt.??

Switching gears for a moment . . .

In the past decade, politics have been a prevalent and focused interest to many, so I’ll get that out of the way with my personal views on its future.

My hope is that politicians and governments across the globe understand the needs and wants of their citizens on a human level. It appears to me that an increasing number of young people in the United States, for example, are turning away from traditional political parties and identifying as “Independent.” Recent polls I’ve read indicate that more than 52% of Millennials and Gen Z are rejecting the current state of extreme polarization. I’m optimistic that within the next decade (or less-fingers crossed), politicians who prioritize social media engagement or bully pulpits over inclusivity and sound decision-making for the benefit of all citizens will become irrelevant as the next generation turns away from performative grievance politics. Eventually, the older politicians (“The Gray Beards”) will be replaced by a new generation of politicians who are younger, more adaptable, and quicker to respond to changing circumstances. It‘s possible that the traditional two-party political system in the U.S. will become obsolete and be replaced by a form of governance where leaders with the best interest of the entire population, rather than just a select few or elite, are in charge. C-Suite executives at the top of the big corporations and governments will begin to lose relevance and power they’ve enjoyed for many decades. I feel those legacy power structures across the globe will most likely crumble and take it’s outdated and narrow-minded thinking of the past to the boneyard.?

While Boomers and older Gen X may resist change and feel that the world is no longer recognizable (BTW, I hear this alot), the need for transformation is pressing and I’m eagerly awaiting the positive impact that this new era will have on society.?

Anyhow, moving on from politics . . .

Below are a few of my personal broad stroke thoughts on the future of technology, media, culture, and music:

TECHNOLOGY

I have a general knowledge of technology, and I wouldn’t consider myself a specialist. I rely mostly on instincts and research. These are my personal musings.?

The next decade will bring about a massive and unprecedented surge in technological advancements, surpassing our current level of tech. My sense is that around 2026, we may see the beginning of a new industrial revolution, one that rivals the technological advancements of the early 20th century, including the birth of space exploration and the development of computers. The speed of change has seen a tremendous increase over the centuries. In the past, changes would take place over hundreds of years, then fifty, then twenty, and even ten. But now, it seems like things are evolving at a breakneck pace, with changes occurring on a monthly or even a click-by-click basis. This pace of transformation is mindblowing to me.?

Pluto moving into Aquarius is going to supercharge innovation. ?? Pin that.?

Despite some concerns of rapid technological advancements, it doesn’t mean the end of the world is imminent (Yes, I hear this alot as well). I read that people around the world believe we’re on the cusp of the world’s final ending. Frankly, I think we’re far from it.?

The doomsday scenario does not apply to our lifetimes.

Fear of technology and the unknown is often a result of uncertainty and a narrow-minded perspective. Many seem to struggle with sea changes. Instead, we should embrace progress and the boundless possibilities it holds for improving our daily lives. The bottom line here, from my perspective, is that we should avoid marinating in perpetual fear that the future of humanity will become robotic, sterile, or fake. Instead, we should grip progress and the endless possibilities it holds for enhancing our daily lives.

Hollywood has often portrayed a future where humans merge with robots or undergo a process of transhumanism, but it’s difficult to predict if this will become a reality. The idea of putting implants into bodies or plugging into mind-control computing is certainly possible, but I feel uncertain at the moment. But, anything is possible I suppose.?

Artificial intelligence will play a critical role in the continued development of technology, leading to greater inclusiveness and ease of use. ChatGPT is a great example of this. The integration of AI will play a major role in our daily routines, media, our workflow, the use of renewable energy sources (my bet is on hydrogen), further advancements of extended reality, and the continued development of cloud technologies. The younger generation is already accustomed to this type of subtle advancement in their daily lives, as they’ve essentially been plugged-in since birth.

Cryptocurrency, blockchain, DAOs, Web3, AI, and quantum computing are expected to experience massive growth in the near future and become more prevalent in society. Despite the challenges faced by some cryptocoins and the recent FTX disaster, the market will eventually stabilize as global regulations will most likely be imposed. Bitcoin, for example, with its limited supply of just 21 million coins, has set the stage for widespread adoption and growth in the financial tech industry. Despite variations in regulations from country to country, the internet and eventully Web3 will offer a unified and accessible platform for using and exchanging Bitcoin, enabling greater market participation and growth. The variety of coins that exist today only scratches the surface. The development and growth of new coins will facilitate greater market participation and drive growth. The adoption of digital currencies by governments around the world (this will happen sooner than later) has the potential to revolutionize society by creating seamless infrastructures. This also hopefully lays the groundwork to help remove the layers of malicious actors and hackers. I’m most intrigued by the boundless possibilities of cryptocurrencies, blockchain, DAOs, Web3, and quantum computing, as stand alones or collectively, to have the potential to support and safeguard the livelihoods of musicians and content creators in a remarkable way.?

?? I do have a music-tech prediction — My senses tell me that Apple is going to buy Spotify. They have the means to do so and they need a bigger market share in the streaming market. It’s undeniable that Spotify has done an excellent job of building global brand awareness, ease of use, and an overall excellent user experience. They could do alot better with the calculation of streaming royalties for artists, but that’s a larger discussion for another time.

MEDIA

I spent nearly a decade at a well-known global media network.

The traditional sources of information and entertainment, such as linear television, print media, film industry, and talk radio, have dominated for well over a century. With the widespread adoption of mobile phones, the need for constant connection has only increased, leading to communication density and a disorganized media landscape. The media market is fierce, with businesses vying for dominance in their respective fields. The competition for ears and eyeballs has led to the creation of specialized and distinctive content on cable television, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and end-to-end encryption apps like Telegram. Carefully crafted television scripts and biased algorithms also deliver endless injections of dopamine. On linear television, for instance, cable news has degenerated into the level of sensationalist tabloids found on grocery store magazine racks and the firehose of misinformation and fear-mongering from television and online platforms/apps, combined with the pressure to remain connected and the prevalence of phony news and clickbait, has led to the formation of countless mini-echo chambers created by ideological entrepreneurs which has deepened societal divisions and birthed a new tribalism for which I’ve never seen in my lifetime. The 24/7 churn of new outrages and performative chaos has become staggering. A recent study concluded that Americans no longer “emotionally trust” most legacy media outlets. That’s a major problem. But, I’m hopeful that will change for the better over the next 20 years and beyond. Gen Z is a smart generation that will take the drivers seat and have zero tolerance for B.S. In fact, if you attempt to deceive them, they’ll happily fact-check you and call you out.

Media is fluid, innocuous, and addictive.

As for the media-tech side of the coin, the cracks are beginning to show in giants such as Facebook and Twitter. As society becomes more aware of the unethical practices involved in exploiting their data for profit, the next generation is likely to resist and seek alternative means of obtaining information. The sad reality is that misinformation has become a multi-billion dollar industry and it’s come with a major cost to society. Long gone are the innocent days of communication platforms such as Yahoo Groups, AIM, Friendster, Myspace, or even Peach (remember Peach?). Our interactions and wedge issues are key for these media-tech giants. I hope you’ll consider unplugging. I have (well…with the exception of TikTok). ??

The film and television production studio system is not impervious, and they too will face significant challenges in the next two decades. In fact, we’re currently seeing their pain points surface, due to the widespread adoption and rapid rise of everyday people flocking to content-driven apps such as TikTok. They’re rapidly sucking attention away from traditional films and TV and disrupting the industry as a whole. Studios need to embrace digital transformation in a bigger way and adapt to the fluid, 24/7 nature of digital media. While studios have made some strides in adapting, I dont’ believe they’ve met the demands of their consumers. Studios often underestimate how smart their audiences are.

Media never sleeps. ??

Studios also cling to old gatekeeping ways, recycling past ideas for theater, cable, and streaming audiences. They need to pivot harder and become more economical as $15M-100M budgets for blockbusters and limited series will eventually fade. The beauty of an app like TikTok is that it serves up economically cheap-thrill content with a simple swipe-up, drawing creators away from the studio system where they can seemlessly upload and monetize directly. This trend will continue to rise exponentially, forcing studios to either pivot or risk dying out. And let’s not forget that YouTube and TikTok offer larger and more impactful reaches via their contstantly evolving and adapting algorithms that help creators push and promote thier raw, bold, dangerous, enlightening, and boundary-pushing content. Creators aren’t fenced in with self-governence. They simply create and let it fly. They don’t face the pressure that studios face to put asses in theater seats or hit quarterly subscribers goals on their streaming platforms to appease shareholders. Let’s face it, much of the content on these free platforms could go toe-to-toe with traditional studios’ development teams and writing rooms. If you disagree, I urge you to dig deeper into these creator apps/platforms. The talent and content is amazing.?

One more point to touch on related to everyday content creators, the risk of potential Copyright infringements on these platforms will remain and potentially become bigger issues, but I think a larger adoption of Blockchain may help alleviate headaches for IP owners in the future.

Buckle up, as the daily supply of content will continue to build and stack on top of a world of endless content.

CULTURE

The days of conventional norms and traditional values are gone. With the arrival of Generation Z, a new era of creativity and self-expression is unfolding before our very eyes. This dynamic and innovative demographic, born with technology at their fingertips, is taking the world by storm and molding it in their unique image.

From their user-generated media, fashion, health, food, side hustles, small business creation, music, coding, gaming, attention to data privacy, and how they generally communicate, Gen Z are rewriting the rules and paving the way for a more diverse and inclusive future. Embracing their individuality and quirks, they are refusing to be confined by the expectations of the past.?

Bottom line, Gen Z is forging a new future based on individuality, creativity, and self-expression.

As my friend Robert once told me, his high school daughter and her friends “embrace the 1990s, but they have a distinct vision for their own interpretation of the 1990s.” That resonated with me and I admire this way of thinking as the younger generation draws inspiration from the past, but infuses it with their own unique touch to create something entirely new and reflective of their own spirit. All done with an advanced layer of technology in their laps.?

“As society has changed, what had formerly been unacceptable has become colorful.” — Iggy Pop

MUSIC

Throughout my life, I’ve been a passionate music enthusiast. I gained a deep reverence for the artform at an early age. My journey began before the age of 10 and my foray into the music industry began when I managed my first band in 1995, and since then, I’ve continued to work intimately with artists. I’ve spent countless hours in record stores rifling through record racks, waited in parking lots for record stores to open on record release days, read piles of magazines, attended countless live shows, independently developed, produced, and shot a cable-access music show (which sadly never saw the light of day ????), created cut/paste show flyers that I xeroxed at Kinkos, promoted live shows in L.A., Las Vegas, and NYC, all in an effort to gain a comprehensive understanding of the music industry. Basically, I made it a personal goal to learn all aspects of the industry on my own time and dime. My passion for music, extensive research, and getting my hands dirty has given me an edge that can’t be learned from textbooks. All of this has sharpened my distinct viewpoint, consistently prioritizing the artists and their needs above all else in my work.

Along this self-paved path — apologies for repeating this →, I’ve served as an artist manager, secured and managed record and music publishing deals, spent nearly a decade at MTV, built music libraries for film/TV, worked alongside record labels overseeing album launches and marketing, acted as a tour manager, produced music videos, and performed A&R duties on numerous occasions. My extensive knowledge of the music, film, and TV industries allows me to bring a unique perspective.?

As I look to the future of music over the next two decades, I’m optimistic about the positive changes that lie ahead. The fluid advancement of technology will offer immense potential for artists, providing them with new and innovative tools to showcase, monetize, and promote their art.

To start with, I believe artists will break free from being confined to specific genres (Rock, Pop, Punk, Country, etc-etc) and showcase their versatility as they blur the lines between musical categorization. Essentially, the music industry will place less emphasis on individual genres and instead focus on music as an overarching entity. This shift has been brought about by playlisting on streaming services and the variety of artists booked at music festivals. Music fans today love Eric Church as much as they like Drake or an up-and-comer like Léa Sen.

It’s also important for artists to adopt AI technology.?AI can assist in the growth, management, and longevity of an artist’s career. Don’t worry about AI replacing you, it’s only a helper or tool. AI can expand the opportunities available to artists. For instance, it can aid in creating targeted marketing plans to reach new and existing fans, provide support during the creative process (e.g. assisting a songwriter who is having trouble with the chorus), assist in budgeting for upcoming tours, or even help generate social media posts when time is scarce. Consider an artist utilizing a built-in ChatGPT on their iPhone, with each new version offering mind-blowing advancements in power and value. In my opinion, upcoming artists will no longer need a traditional artist manager, as they’ll be able to rely on AI to provide immediate solutions.

Another thing I want to mention is that I believe music is going to become more valuable and profitable again in the near future. Back in 1999, Napster became a really popular way for people to share music files online. This caused a big increase in the number of downloads, which then led to a decrease in the amount of money that people were willing to pay for music. This was also happening on other websites like Limewire, which appeared in the early 2000s. Because of these platforms, people started to see music as less important and worth less money. This had a big impact on artists and music labels, who relied on selling CDs and vinyl records to make a living

Having witnessed the evolution of music consumption from record sales to illegal downloads to legal downloads and now to the lazy habits of clicks, scrolls, and swipes, I remain optimistic that future tech tools will reinvigorate the drive to create, generate ROI, capture audience attention, and drive sales/streams.

The guitar is the greatest weapon ever given to the middle class.?

Fast foward to the Summer of 2009, I was on a two-week tour of the UK, Ireland, and Norway with a band I was managing at the time. During that tour, I asked fans and music industry professionals how they listened to music, and they all had the same answer: “We pay a flat monthly fee to stream music on a new platform called Spotify”. This was the first time I had heard of legal subscription-based streaming, let alone Spotify. At the time, subscription-based music streaming wasn’t readily available or adopted in the US. Sure, artists were uploading streamable songs to their Myspace pages, but a Spotify-type music infrastructure as we know it today didn’t exist. As a manager, I thought that subscription streaming would be an incredible opportunity to boost artists’ earnings once it launched properly in the US. However, illegal downloading was still a problem in 2009, and we had to issue takedown notices to sites that infringed on our label’s copyrights. It was a global game of cat and mouse. Subscription music streaming eventually launched in the US and has become what we see today. However, it hasn’t solved the sales problem for 99% of artists. While it aids algorithmic discovery, the royalty structure remains outdated for 2023 standards. Despite this, the top 1% still receive the majority of the earnings.

Even though technology has come a long way since the days of Napster, I think music will become more accessible to everyone in the future. Streaming is now part of our daily lives, and I believe that Web3 and blockchain technology will revolutionize the music industry.

Blockchain will play an essential role in securing the future for songwriters and rights holders. It will help track and distribute royalties, protect copyrights, and provide access to funding and investments without relying on record labels or traditional banks. Additionally, blockchain will incentivize fan engagement with tokens or other forms of cryptocurrency. Overall, I believe that blockchain technology will be the game-changer the music industry needs to thrive.

Eliminating the middleman is needed and will happen.?

Musicians currently have to wait for months, bi-yearly or even years to get paid through the current compensation process known as a “royalty-window”. This process will have to change. Advancements in technology will make it possible to automate global royalty collection and payments. This will ensure that each creator or copyright owner gets compensated according to a payment schedule that suits their specific needs. For instance, if a U.S.-based artist’s song is played on terrestrial radio in Australia, the rights holders could receive payment on the same business day. I believe that this type of collection and payment process will become the norm in the near future. A modernized royalty payment system is crucial for the long-term sustainability of artists.

Again, this can all be achieved on the Blockchain.

Another ongoing challenge is that big rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, PRS, etc) sit on decades of countless registered copyrights, and they each have the power to dictate payments schedules for artists. To reiterate my previous point, if technology in 2023 can enable Uber to pay its drivers within 24 hours through the rideshare app, I believe that the music industry can also adopt similar payment systems. It’s crucial for these music companies to make significant investments in building infrastructures that can ensure fair and timely payment to their artists. However, the main obstacle I see seems to be a reluctance or slow pace of these companies to invest, possibly due to a fear that such investments could render their roles obsolete in the future.

Overall, blockchain technology offers musicians the potential to increase their revenue, gain greater control over their creative output, and build stronger relationships with their fans.

During the pandemic, the music industry also saw a rise in the buzzwords “Metaverse” and “Web3”. Both are poised for a rapid surge in adoption. Metaverse (Web3) technologies, fueled by the integration of crypto, blockchain, DAOs and other innovative tools will foster stronger connections between artists and fans. This growth will not be restricted to only those who can afford expensive Enterprise AI or Metaverse access. Instead, it will level the playing field for all musicians, allowing both independent and major artists to monetize their hard work in new untapped worlds. Independent musicians have historically struggled to gain visibility and opportunities in the digital realm due to algorithmic biases and drowned out by bigger marketing budgets. However, I see the next 20 years presenting a unique opportunity for artists to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, by embracing these new resources that will make them less dependent on record labels and music publishers. Historically, artists have had to make significant compromises to secure record deals, but the Metaverse and blockchain era will offer a chance to reclaim control over their careers and open a new world of infinite opportunity.?

Record labels don’t sign artists, they sign their audiences.

Over the past decade, the constant gripe I hear is people complaining about the current state of music, saying things like “It’s all garbage” or “Will we ever see the rise of another powerhouse like Prince or Kurt Cobain?, because it doesn’t seem likely." There’s some truth to these sentiments, but it’s important to acknowledge that good music has always been around. It’s also true that the vast majority (about 99%) of music is found on the fringes, and requires some effort to discover. On the flip side, the remaining 1% of music is presented to us through easily digestible sources such as TMZ, Pop radio, or television awards shows. Most people don’t have the time or energy to seek out new music. The volume of entertainment options available today — from radio and social media platforms to DSP playlists, Soundcloud, Discord, Twitch, TikTok, and satellite radio stations — can make it overwhelming for anyone to navigate. As a result, the bar for what constitutes “good” music has been lowered over the past 20+ years and society is left with a lot of high-calorie noise.?

I’m wholeheartedly convinced that as we enter the upcoming 20-year period of Pluto in Aquarius, music is set to explode to an unprecedented level that we’ve never witnessed or heard before. The 1% push will continue on, but I feel the 99% will no longer take a backseat or remain out on the fringes. While, I expect the emergence of another powerhouse artist like Prince or Kurt Cobain, some may come from major labels, but the majority will originate as independent artists not bound to the traditional music industry system and are fueled by ownership and creative freedom.

“We decided to become the band we never saw on stage. No rules…” — Gene Simmons, KISS

We’re all about to witness another musical revolution and a return to forever.

“A Return to Forever” you ask? An odd headline, I know.?

Let me explain . . .

“A Return to Forever” is a desire to return to a time of musical innovation and exploration, and to create a fusion of different musical styles and genres. In other words, “A Return to Forever” can be interpreted as a call to return to a state of musical purity, creativity, freedom, and revolution.

“You say you want a revolution? Well, you know. We all want to change the world” — John Lennon ?

And the world will change…big time.?

I’m optimistic for our collective future and I eagerly anticipate the unpredictability and excitement.

Thank you for reading my personal reflections on what I think the future holds for technology, media, culture, and music. There are many topics to discuss when it comes to the future, but I just wanted to briefly touch on a few areas that have been on my mind.

xoxo,

Scottie Diablo

?? scottiediablo at icloud.com?

???