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The music industry is a driven by economics, technology, gatekeepers and the ever-evolving ways people discover and consume music. Understanding these features is crucial to understanding the music itself and its impact.
Music
Music is much more than sound; it’s a complex system that communicates meaning by engaging our feelings and bodies.
The way listeners discover and consume music has been completely transformed by the shift to digital streaming.
Audio media, such as music and podcasts, share the power to communicate deeply and personally with listeners, often using sound and words to tell stories and set moods. Both forms have been fundamentally changed by digital technology, which has made content abundant and accessible, mainly through mobile devices and streaming. These digital changes mean that algorithms and platform rules are now major forces in deciding what listeners discover and consume.
Music is much more than sound; it’s a complex system that communicates meaning by engaging our feelings and bodies. This communication works through several layers, including lyrics, the musical language of rhythm and melody, and even accompanying visuals, like music videos. The way listeners discover and consume music has been completely transformed by the shift to digital streaming.
Understanding how music communicates requires looking at multiple layers: the lyrics, the sound itself, accompanying visuals (like music videos), and the broader cultural and historical context.
Audio media, such as music and podcasts, share the power to communicate deeply and personally with listeners, often using sound and words to tell stories and set moods. Both forms have been fundamentally changed by digital technology, which has made content abundant and accessible, mainly through mobile devices and streaming. These digital changes mean that algorithms and platform rules are now major forces in deciding what listeners discover and consume.
Last month, I wrote an article about how I felt as though movie soundtracks aren’t as popular as they used to be. Sure, some do well via streaming services, but once upon a time, many of us were collecting soundtracks to play over and over again (likely while we also had the movie poster on our bedroom walls).
Which movie soundtracks did you own when you were younger? Do you still stream them or purchase them?