Resonance and Dissonance: The Tech-Tuned Evolution of Music
By: Grace Slansky
In the ever-evolving tapestry of today's music industry, technology stands as both the weaver and the thread, intricately entwining itself into the very fabric of how music is created, shared, and consumed. Throughout history, technology has consistently reshaped the music landscape, from the phonograph, which introduced the concept of recorded sound, to the transformative power of digital streaming platforms that have democratized access to music worldwide. Technological advancements are not just modern phenomena but an integral part of evolution in music.?
Thanks to major and rapid technological advancements, the once steep barriers to music production and distribution are being dismantled, not brick by brick but byte by byte. Social media platforms and production tools have democratized the art of music, allowing it to flow directly from the minds of the creators into the hearts of listeners worldwide. This revolution has not only opened the floodgates for a diverse array of sounds and stories but has also sparked a dialogue about the essence of music in the age of digital proliferation.?
As technology continues to sculpt the music landscape, how do we navigate the fine line between innovation and overindulgence? How far is too far in a whirlwind of innovation that provides unparalleled actress to music production and distribution??
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that we are big fans of innovation and accessibility. By exploring these, we do not seek to dampen the spirit of advancement but rather to discuss the essence of music in an era where tech and music are practically synonymous.?
The Democratization of Music
The Rise of Social Media and Streaming Platforms
The digital age has ushered in an unprecedented era of music accessibility, fundamentally altering how we discover, share, and engage with music. Platforms like YouTube , TikTok , and Spotify have become the new vanguard of musical discovery, each playing a pivotal role in democratizing access to music. With its vast repository of music videos, live performances, and user-generated covers, YouTube has been instrumental in breaking down the barriers between artists and audiences. With its algorithm-driven playlists, Spotify has tailored the listening experience to the individual, offering a personalized journey through the musical landscape.
However, TikTok has arguably emerged as the game changer, transforming the music industry's dynamics with short-form videos. Artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, and Dove Cameron have rocketed to the top of the charts mainly through their presence on the platform, showcasing the power of viral content. TikTok has become one of the most popular methods for new music discovery, often catapulting songs to popularity overnight. Yet, this rapid ascent has sparked debates around artistic integrity. Artists such as Halsey and Charlie Puth have voiced their frustrations over the pressure from record labels to leverage TikTok for promotion, highlighting a significant shift in how artists engage with their audience and how labels perceive value.
This evolution from traditional discovery methods—such as radio play and A&R scouting—to social media virality marks a significant shift in the music industry's infrastructure. Where once the discovery of new talent was a meticulous process reliant on industry gatekeepers, the digital age has broadened the avenues through which artists can be found and heard. The rise of streaming and social media platforms has shifted the promotional responsibilities onto the artists, demanding high social media and streaming numbers as a prerequisite for record label consideration.?
Nearly overnight, social media has made marketing, publicity, and branding the artist’s job. This presents a key challenge, namely balancing the pursuit of viral success on platforms like TikTok with preserving artistic integrity. As the industry continues to evolve, artists are tasked with navigating this new digital landscape, where the lines between commercial success and authentic creative expression are increasingly blurred.
Accessibility of Production Tools
Today, with just a laptop and a spark of creativity, anyone can create the caliber of recording that once required a professional studio and a hefty budget. Software like 苹果 's GarageBand has revolutionized music creation, offering a comprehensive suite of tools that enable users to compose, mix, and master tracks from the comfort of their bedroom. This accessibility has nurtured a new generation of artists who may not have had the means to foster their musical creativity otherwise.?
Platforms like SoundCloud have further empowered these "bedroom producers," providing a space to share their creations with the world. This ecosystem has given rise to artists who have built entire careers from their home studios, bypassing traditional industry gatekeepers. The positive aspects of this shift are that clear barriers to entry have been significantly lowered, allowing diverse voices to emerge. This inclusivity enriches the musical landscape, offering listeners a broader spectrum of sounds and stories.
AI platforms like Amper Music, Inc. and AIVA are revolutionizing music production by enabling individuals to create music without extensive theoretical knowledge. These platforms democratize music creation, offering tools that simplify composition processes. However, they also spark debates on originality and copyright, challenging traditional notions of artistic creation. The use of AI in music raises questions about the future of copyright laws and the definition of originality in the digital age.
The impact of affordable production tools extends beyond individual success stories. signifying a cultural shift in how music is made and consumed. By democratizing the music creation process, these advancements have allowed countless aspiring artists to experiment and innovate.
The Changing Landscape of Music Consumption and Production
Short-Form Content and Its Impact
In the U.S., the surge of short-form content on platforms like TikTok has significantly impacted music production, prioritizing viral potential over traditional artistic depth. Artists are increasingly crafting tracks to suit these platforms’ brief, engaging format, aiming for rapid shares and likes. This trend has led to reevaluating success metrics in the industry, where the ability to generate viral moments often outweighs traditional considerations like lyrical complexity or musical innovation.
When your best bet for mainstream success as an artist is to have 15-30 seconds of your song go viral, the entirety of the song becomes less important. Since 1990, the average song length on the Billboard Hot 100 has decreased from over four minutes to around three, regardless of genre. However, it’s within pop that we’re seeing a significant decrease in length. The modern-day equivalent of cutting a song for radio play, social media, and the pay-per-play model of streaming services have pop stars catering to decreased attention spans, often shortening intros and cutting bridges entirely. In fact, at the 2024 Grammy Awards, 28 of the 144 nominated songs come in under three minutes.?
Quality vs. Quantity
The abundance of releases today also presents a double-edged sword, heightening discovery challenges amidst a sea of options. This leads to visibility hurdles for artists and choice paralysis for listeners, who must navigate an endless stream of new tracks.?
Streaming platforms - emphasizing quantity - contribute to phenomena like "playlist fatigue," where listeners feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options. In response, artists and labels increasingly focus on single tracks rather than albums, aiming for targeted impacts that cut through the noise, acknowledging the shifting dynamics of consumption and attention in the digital music landscape.?
Recommendation Radar
Spotify and Apple Music’s algorithms can significantly influence music discovery, curating playlists based on user preferences. While they offer a gateway to new artists, there's a delicate balance between promoting emerging talents and prioritizing established acts, which could skew exposure and limit musical diversity. This risks reinforcing popular tastes at the expense of niche or upcoming artists, potentially leading to a less varied musical landscape. The focus on algorithm-driven recommendations thus shapes the diversity and breadth of listeners’ exposure, impacting the discovery of new music.
The Challenges and Criticisms
The Quest for Algorithmic and Artistic Integrity
The accessibility of digital tools and platforms has sparked debate over its impact on music's quality and the definition of an artist. Critics argue that this ease of access dilutes music's quality, making the industry more about quantity over quality. There's a concern that music is becoming formulaic, driven more by algorithms than genuine artistic creativity, potentially leading to a loss of depth and authenticity.?
This shift towards algorithm-friendly content can detract from the richness of musical expression as artists grapple with maintaining their artistic integrity while navigating the promotional demands of digital platforms. In making artists maintain a balance between visibility and authenticity, are we sacrificing artistic depth and integrity in favor of “gaming the system?” With the ease of production, the most significant thing we lose is the need for more profound music theory and compositional education. While we have new voices who might not otherwise have been able to enter the space, how do we find a balance where those who see music as a more academic pursuit can still create art and make a living?
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Financial Implications for Artists
Artists today face significant economic challenges, particularly in effectively monetizing their music on streaming platforms. The revenue distribution in the digital ecosystem often favors labels, leaving artists with a smaller share. This financial pressure is compounded by labels' demands for artists to promote their music on social media platforms like TikTok, as highlighted by complaints mentioned earlier from Halsey and Charlie Puth about the intense pressure to create promotional content, which underscores the complex interplay between artistic expression and the commercial imperatives of the digital music industry. The system is a feedback loop, prioritizing marketability and virality in pursuit of mainstream success.?
AI Pushback from Artists
It’s not just the consumers concerned; the artists have significant qualms regarding AI and the changing scape of technology and rights. This month, the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) issued an open letter , backed by over 200 artists, including notable names like Billie Eilish, R.E.M., and Kacey Musgraves, expressing deep concern over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in ways that infringe upon and devalue artists' rights.?
The coalition of artists urges developers and technology companies to refrain from creating or deploying AI music-generation technology that could replace human artistry or deny fair compensation for creators' work. The letter highlights the unethical use of artists' works to train AI models without permission and the dilution of royalty pools due to AI-generated content.
The ARA emphasizes that such practices could have catastrophic financial impacts on musicians, songwriters, and artists striving to make a living, advocating for the protection of human creativity and the music ecosystem from the predatory use of AI.
The Legal, the Ethical, and the Fair
A critical dialogue on legal, ethical, and fairness concerns is taking center stage, illuminating the path toward a more equitable future for music creators.
Central to these discussions are legislative efforts to redress the power imbalances of historically disadvantaged small and independent artists. Congresswoman Deborah Ross introduced the Protect Working Musicians Act of 2023, a landmark move in this direction. This legislation seeks to empower artists with collective bargaining rights against streaming platforms and AI developers, heralding a pivotal shift towards ensuring fair compensation and equitable negotiations for the use of their work.
Parallel to legislative advances, the study "Fair Compensation for Music Creators in the Digital Age" by Fair Trade Music International spotlights the critical issue of music undervaluation by digital platforms. The study advocates for an uplift in the percentage of gross revenues paid to rights holders and calls for a more equitable revenue distribution. Such insights underscore the urgency of enhancing transparency in licensing deals with streaming services, aiming to cultivate a fairer remuneration model and fortify the sustainability of digital distribution services.
Lawmakers at the European Union level champion initiatives to secure better remuneration for music artists from streaming behemoths like Spotify. The efforts of Spanish lawmaker Iban García del Blanco exemplify a growing consensus on the necessity of regulatory measures to rectify the imbalances in the cultural sector. This approach underscores a collective aspiration towards a revenue redistribution that favors creators, reflecting a broader commitment to nurturing the sustainability of artistic careers in the digital age.
Navigating the New Normal
Evaluation and Education in the Digital Age
The digital age demands reevaluating how we assess and educate in music. With an unprecedented influx of music content, there's a pressing need for new criteria and infrastructure to evaluate this volume properly.?
Moreover, a gap in music education is evident for listeners as much as creators. We can be smart listeners with background knowledge and education; with music theory, we can retain a piece of music itself.?
Fortunately, educational initiatives integrating technology into music education are reshaping how music is taught and learned, highlighting a growing trend emphasizing the importance of digital literacy in the arts. Ableton is at the forefront with programs like "Ableton for the Classroom," which offers tools and resources to inspire young people to learn music through the excitement of creating their own.
Beyond that, Rhythm Randomizer offers free rhythm exercises, EarSketch teaches coding through music composition, and Moises uses AI to separate audio tracks, aiding in personalized teaching materials. Flat.io stands out for its user-friendly digital notation, which is especially appealing for educators looking for accessible music composition tools for their students.
By embracing these technological advancements, the accessibility to music creation becomes a great asset, balancing possibilities with a base of knowledge.?
Evolving Artist-Fan Relationships
While social media can be tricky for music discovery, it has revolutionized the artist-fan interaction, fostering closer connections through authenticity and behind-the-scenes content. This digital intimacy allows artists to share their creative process and personal moments, building a loyal fanbase attracted to their genuine selves rather than just their public persona. With this, we have the rise of superfans, which are creating new opportunities for consumers in music.?
The Future of Music Discovery, Creation, and Compensation
The digital age continues to shape the future of music, presenting both opportunities and challenges. As technology evolves, it offers new tools for creation and platforms for discovery, expanding the horizons of what's possible in music.
Emerging models for monetizing music in the digital age, such as NFTs, direct fan support platforms like Patreon, and smart contracts, are also transforming artist compensation. These models offer new revenue streams and a fairer distribution of earnings, reflecting a significant shift from traditional industry practices. While the NFT boom may seem like the distant past, the technology remains an incredible key to rights management and royalties.?
Music NFTs provide a groundbreaking way for artists to monetize their work by creating a more direct relationship with their audience. By leveraging blockchain technology, artists can sell unique digital assets representing their music, allowing them to maintain full ownership and earn more through revenue and royalty-sharing features. Platforms like OpenSea, Audius, and Catalog are marketplaces where musicians can sell their NFTs. These NFTs signify ownership and enable artists to create token-gated communities, offering exclusive access to content or events, thereby enhancing fan engagement.
Smart Contracts take this further by automating transactions and royalty distributions. These contracts can automatically allocate royalties to artists, collaborators, and even investors whenever an NFT is sold. This ensures a fair share of revenue for all parties involved, fostering collaboration and incentivizing creative endeavors. Despite the promising prospects, challenges such as scalability, transaction costs, and the need for clear legal frameworks still need to be addressed.
Direct fan support platforms like Patreon empower artists to receive support directly from their fans in exchange for exclusive content or experiences. This model bypasses traditional revenue streams, providing a more sustainable income by cultivating a dedicated fanbase willing to support their favorite artists financially.
To harmonize technological innovation with tradition, the industry must strive to preserve artistic integrity and support artists financially. Embracing advancements while ensuring artists' welfare suggests a future where technology enhances music education and appreciation, fostering a deeper connection with the art form among the general public. While delicate, the balance is certainly possible.?
About the memBrain STORM Report
memBrain LLC started?The STORM Report?in 2012 as a way of helping brands and retailers identify emerging music artists for licensing, endorsements, sponsorships, and other partnerships. With our 100th issue unveiled in June 2024, we are thrilled to have charted over 2000 artists and deeply studied the evolution of the music industry over the past decade, amassing a readership of over 5K music industry thought leaders, marketing executives, media outlets, and more.?
Visit?www.membrainllc.com to learn more about memBrain, the STORM Report, and our mission to make meaningful connections.