The music industry is being forced to adapt and evolve as technological changes continue to alter the way we consume music, and we are consuming music at an alarming rate. Like the person who makes 16 trips to the buffet, each time returning with an overflowing plate that is struggling to cope with the demands placed upon it, our music listening habits are beginning to get out of control. As a result, bands are having to adapt. It's like Peter Drucker once said...
Streaming platforms are both a blessing and a burden. Music is now stupendously accessible, at times unavoidable, with a subscription costing approx £5-£10 per month giving you access to all the music in the world. No longer do you have to shell out for every single song or album, if you don't want to, with everything available at the click of a button (or quick convo with Siri).
This has made it easier for bands to get heard with discovery features and personalised playlists just some of the extra features you have access to. And whilst there are many benefits of streaming, it has its setbacks too. It exploits artists for their music, offering very little in the way of payment, especially for any new bands with a small fan base. Only global superstars can really expect to make a living off streaming. As a result, bands have had to adapt in order to stay a float. Many have upped their merch game, capitalising on the vinyl revival and making money by selling physical music, whilst others have toured relentlessly.
However, another change caused by streaming services, is that bands have begun to release music much quicker than in the past, with many bands not waiting around after releasing an album, writing and releasing singles just months later. Despite producing stellar records earlier this year, both Gengahr and Soccer Mommy have recently released brand new singles, whilst last year, just months after dropping a debut album, Blaenavon offered up a handful of new tracks in the form of an EP. Bands are being forced to produce songs quicker as the more songs they produce, the more streams they get, thus the more money ends up in their back pocket. Long gone are the days where a new band can revel in their debut album, now they must immediately trudge back to the studio and come up with more delights to please an increasingly demanding audience.
Live Recordings are also becoming more common, with the aforementioned Gengahr also dropping their Live LP a couple of months back, whilst The Amazons, just a year after their debut record, released a Live EP too. Live Recordings are a beautiful thing (so much so we wrote a love letter to them), and the changes to streaming has meant they are becoming more common - thank goodness! This is another way for bands to add to their streaming figures, by simply recording their live shows, editing them slightly and popping them online for us all to devour. It's a win win. We get more live sugary goodness, our beloved bands get more money and get to continue making music.
Yet all this may come at a cost. There is a certain romance around albums and the excitement that builds over 2 or 3 years as you wait for your beloved band to return is one of the reasons we all remain in love with music. The continuous teasing, a carrot and stick situation almost, keeps us interested in bands and the release of an album every year takes some of the gloss off this magic. There's also the danger that by releasing multiple albums or EPs throughout the year, the quality may decrease. The extra demand for constant new music may result in artists taking less care over their work to adhere to their audience. Only time will tell.
We'd love to know your view on streaming platforms and the increasing speed at which music is being released. Drop a comment below or send us a tweet. We don't bite.
Yet all this may come at a cost. There is a certain romance around albums and the excitement that builds over 2 or 3 years as you wait for your beloved band to return is one of the reasons we all remain in love with music. The continuous teasing, a carrot and stick situation almost, keeps us interested in bands and the release of an album every year takes some of the gloss off this magic. There's also the danger that by releasing multiple albums or EPs throughout the year, the quality may decrease. The extra demand for constant new music may result in artists taking less care over their work to adhere to their audience. Only time will tell.
We'd love to know your view on streaming platforms and the increasing speed at which music is being released. Drop a comment below or send us a tweet. We don't bite.
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