Podcast Summary
Technology's Impact on Music Industry: Shorter Songs and Streaming Economy: Technology influences music trends through streaming services and algorithmic playlists, resulting in shorter songs and a shift in consumption habits.
Technology is significantly impacting the music industry in various ways. Deloitte, a business consulting firm, is helping businesses navigate this change by combining business acumen and innovative technology to build solutions for the present and future. In the world of music, streaming services and algorithmic playlists are leading to shorter songs, as discussed on The Vergecast with Charlie Harding and Nate Sloane from Switched on Pop. Their podcast explores how music trends reflect larger cultural and technological shifts. For instance, the average song length has decreased from the 90s to now, and there are more extremely short songs. This change is a result of the streaming economy and the way music is consumed today. The documentary "art beats in lyrics" showcases how technology and cultural phenomena have shaped the art scene in Atlanta. Overall, technology is transforming industries, and it's essential to understand these changes to adapt and thrive.
Impact of Streaming on Songwriting and Structure: Artists adapt to streaming by creating shorter songs with catchy hooks to keep listeners engaged, leading to a new song structure called the pop overture, where the chorus is introduced early.
The shift from physical music sales to streaming revenue has significantly impacted the music industry, leading to changes in songwriting and structure. With streaming services paying artists for each 30-second listen, artists have an incentive to create shorter songs and catchy hooks to keep listeners engaged. This has resulted in the emergence of a new song structure, called the pop overture, where the chorus or hook is introduced early to hook the listener in before the full chorus comes in. However, it's important to note that while artists are not paid more for listeners who engage beyond 30 seconds, there is still value in having listeners listen to the entire track, as it increases the chances of the song being added to larger playlists, leading to more exposure and potential revenue.
The balance between short and long songs in music: The music industry is adapting to the rise of streaming platforms and social media, allowing for both short and long songs to find success, but artists and industry professionals continue to grapple with the pressure to conform to playlist and radio standards.
While the average length of songs is seeing a decrease, especially in genres like hip hop, artists and music industry professionals are striving for a healthy balance between creating short, catchy tracks and longer, more complex pieces. The rise of streaming platforms and social media, particularly TikTok, has led to a new dynamic where both short and long songs can find success. However, the pressure to conform to playlist and radio standards still exists, leading to edited versions of longer songs. Ultimately, the limitless possibilities of musical creativity mean that we can expect to see a wide range of song lengths and styles in the future.
The Interconnected World of Streaming Platforms, Social Media, and Music Creation: Streaming platforms' curatorial power, interactivity, and multimedia elements shape music creation, potentially influencing shorter formats and algorithm optimization. Social media's impact on chart success is significant.
The relationship between streaming platforms, social media, and music creation is more interconnected than ever before. The curatorial power of streaming platforms is significant, but new access points continue to emerge. Interactivity and multimedia elements have become crucial in music, and social media can influence chart success. This dynamic may impact the creative process, leading to shorter song formats and a greater emphasis on algorithm optimization. Taylor Swift's shift from opposing streaming services to fully participating in them serves as a prime example of the far-reaching impact of these changes on the culture and economics of songwriting.
Consolidation of Music Distribution and Discovery: Market power of streaming giants like Spotify, Apple, and Amazon limits access to playlists and albums, influencing music industry trends and artist strategies.
Despite the advancements in digital streaming technology, market power has led to a consolidation of music distribution and discovery. Companies like Spotify, Apple, and Amazon control a significant portion of the market share, acting as curators and limiting the number of accessible playlists or albums on listening devices. This market power influences what becomes popular and can affect the music industry as a whole. The gatekeeping role remains, whether it's through playlists or other means, and artists may feel compelled to construct and market their music to fit those curated lists.
Effective playlisting strategy for music success: Having industry contacts and a well-executed playlisting strategy are crucial for music success. Playlists, which group songs based on mood or activity, are increasingly influencing music consumption, and artists like Lizzo who adapt to this trend can benefit from it. However, a consistent message and brand identity remain essential for long-term success.
In the music industry today, having strong industry contacts and a well-executed playlisting strategy are essential for a song or artist to succeed. Playlisting strategy refers to ensuring a song fits into popular playlists, which can reach millions of listeners daily. Playlists are increasingly influencing how we consume music, with the rise of contextual-based playlists that group songs based on their relationship to a particular mood or activity, rather than genre. This trend is reflected in artists like Lizzo, whose genre-hopping music is more likely to be placed on multiple themed playlists. However, the most important factor in an artist's success is their message and brand identity, which should remain consistent despite shifting aesthetic qualities. This trend is not just limited to music and streaming, but reflects larger cultural shifts in media consumption.
The value of artists' identity and brand in the music industry: Artistry and creativity matter more than ever in the music industry, as anyone can produce and distribute music. Successful artists like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish have built their brand beyond just their music, and high-quality production tools allow for more artists to express themselves and reach audiences.
In the music industry today, artists themselves have become the scarce resource, and their identity and brand are just as important as their music. The cost of producing and distributing music has drastically decreased, making the competition fiercer than ever. However, this also means that artistry and creativity matter more than ever before, as anyone can produce and distribute music with the right tools. Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish are prime examples of artists who have successfully built their brand beyond just their music. The accessibility of high-quality music production tools has led to a surge in competition, but it also allows for more artists to express themselves and reach audiences. While there are still financial barriers to entry, the cost of producing music has significantly decreased, making it an achievable goal for many. In essence, the music industry has shifted towards valuing the artist as a whole package, rather than just their music.
Changes in Music Production with Streaming: Music production is evolving with the shift to streaming, prioritizing high-range tones and verse-chorus structures less, and focusing on audio quality for various devices.
The shift to streaming has led to notable changes in music production, particularly in terms of song structure and the way music is mixed to accommodate various listening devices. The dominance of verse-chorus form in popular music for decades is starting to show signs of change, and the way records are mixed today prioritizes high-range tones to ensure decent translation over laptops and earbuds. The "loudness wars" of the past, where records were mastered to be as loud as possible, have become less of a concern, and there's a higher threshold for recording quality, but a seemingly lesser concern for audio fidelity. For instance, artists like Billie Eilish are using iPhones to record sounds directly onto their records. While the sound of music is evolving, the dynamics and tones that engineers used to strive for still matter, but the way music is produced and consumed is adapting to the digital age.
The Accessibility of Music Production and Distribution Leads to Creative Approaches: From low-quality recordings to high-fidelity ones, artists use unique sounds and creative approaches to stand out in a saturated market.
The accessibility and speed of music production and distribution have led to a wide range of sounds and creative approaches, from low-quality recordings to high-fidelity ones, and the use of found sounds and unique elements to distinguish artists in a saturated market. For instance, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" was initially a low-quality recording that spread rapidly due to its catchiness, while artists like Billie Eilish and Maggie Rogers incorporate unconventional sounds into their music to stand out. A great example of this trend is the Jonas Brothers' "Sucker," which starts immediately with urgency and grabbing the listener's attention, reflecting the need for music to quickly capture and engage audiences.
Genre blurring in music industry: Artists experiment with various genres, creating unique sounds. Billboard charts feature top songs from country trap, bubblegum pop, hip hop, and rock music. 'Bad Guy' by Billie Eilish combines whispery vocals and heavy drops. Shorter sub-two-minute songs and lo-fi old school hip hop are emerging trends.
The music industry is experiencing a genre blurring phenomenon, with artists experimenting across various genres and creating unique sounds. This is evident in the Billboard charts, where top songs span across country trap, bubblegum pop, hip hop, and rock music. One of the standout songs currently in the top 10 is "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish, which combines whispery vocals and a sudden heavy drop, creating an engaging listening experience. Looking ahead, there might be a trend towards shorter, sub-two-minute songs making it to the charts. Additionally, there's a growing interest in lo-fi old school hip hop, characterized by intentionally degraded sound quality. To keep up with these trends and discover more insights, tune in to shows like Switched on Pop and Why You Push That Button.
Targeted by Anonymous Trolls: Individuals have been targeted by anonymous troll accounts, leading to unique and often unsettling experiences.
The podcast "Reckless" discussed the unusual experiences of individuals being targeted by anonymous troll accounts. This topic was based on a specific case where the guest had been targeted, and it was believed that the podcast's subjects had also experienced similar situations. The podcast also promoted various platforms where listeners could subscribe and leave reviews. Additionally, they announced upcoming episodes with different guests. Furthermore, the sponsors for the show were highlighted, including a new documentary on Hulu called "Art Beats and Lyrics," which explores the origin stories of the founders and curator of the Art Beats in Lyrics event in Atlanta. The documentary follows the artists as they prepare for the event's 20th anniversary tour. The episode also included a promotion for Jack Daniels and Tennessee Honey, with a reminder to drink responsibly.
