Music streaming services have helped keep music alive and popular in the digital present day. Music of any kind is now easily accessible, and independent artists can find their own sound through streaming. It has helped shape the industry today by evolving how users experience and interact with music while changing how artists approach creating music.
Learn more about how streaming evolved the music industry below.
Accessibility
Music streaming services have a large catalog of artists, genres, latest releases, and more which makes music easily accessible. Medium, an online publishing platform, describes the services as “easy to access large music catalogs at a low, reasonable price.”
Before streaming, the radio, physical releases, and word-of-mouth could have been how music and newer artists broke into the industry. However, individuals can now dive into any musical period or any famous or new artist that can have their music preserved. Individuals can find their preferred musical taste, but can also be met with an enhanced and unique user experience.
The User Experience
The streaming user experience allows Individuals to boost or negate an artist or song popularity with features like playlists. Forbes, a business magazine, cites the user focused phenomenon as “technology that offers variation, incentivizes it, and makes musical variety more accessible.” Users can now cultivate a unique genre or playlist that encourages a personal listening experience.
Spotify, one of the biggest music streaming services, offers the “Blend” feature that acts as a shared playlist between two or more users. The feature encourages users to listen and find music that fits their playlist which generates a compatibility score through the playlist. Users can enhance their experience through several streaming features and can be introduced to new and memorable listening experiences. Moreover, streaming also encourages users to find and listen to newer artists and music that also make the experience unique.
Rise of Independent Artists
Streaming has become easily accessible which has led to a rise of independent artists successfully breaking into the music industry. These artists can be free from record labels and are more likely to be musically experimental and creative. In addition, several streaming services like SoundCloud, YouTube, and Spotify make it easier for artists to find and grow an audience.
However, since independent artists are in charge of themselves, they will have to manage costs and expect low earnings. The New York Times, a daily newspaper, reports that one stream equals less than a cent. The site also reported that several established English artists like Paul McCartney and Kate Bush have written a letter asking for reforms to the streaming economy. Streaming has helped independent artists establish their sound and fanbase, but artists still are fighting for proper compensation.
To Conclude
Streaming services have changed the music industry to be more accessible and focus on a worthwhile user experience. It has helped independent artists find their own audience and sound, but the earnings harm the artists’ will to release new music. Ultimately, the service has helped transform the music industry into a rich experience that celebrates diverse voices and sounds.
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