Music Trends: What Will the Future Hold?
With endless streaming options, social media platforms like TikTok and futuristic tools like AI technology, music has seen its share of changes in the past few years. But how will these apps and others affect the music trends of the future? In a brave new world where everyone can have a platform to make any kind of music, you can expect a lot more changes to come.
Genres will become a thing of the past
Hip hop, country, rock, R&B, or whatever you listen to, you’ve probably heard a version of music that combines more than one genre. Artists are collaborating with other artists from completely different spectrums and giving the term remixing a whole new meaning. This new trend is likely to continue blurring the genre lines between categories of music.
Tech-made music will continue to grow
Even if you can’t sing or play an instrument, AI technology, music production software platforms and high-tech equipment, have all made it easier to create music that sounds good.
Marketing technology
AI enabled music production and automation are already changing the music industry in major ways. In 2019, more than 40,000 tracks were added to Spotify on a daily basis, making the competition for listeners fiercely competitive. Throw in other media platforms fighting for their fair share of the audience (podcasts, video streaming, social media) and AI technology will become even more important in the race to dial in and respond to what draws in the consumer.
Out with the album, in with the playlist
Streaming has already done a number on the traditional “album.” Streaming services like Pandora and Spotify offer listeners the ability to create playlists and stations that are personalized to their particular preferences. So, why would you buy the whole album when you can add that one song that you love to your playlist? Albums and records are surely not going away completely but the future is all about being able to mix and match music in one place.
Speaking of songs
As the attention span of the audience gets smaller, songs are getting shorter. Artists are optimizing songs for playlists to avoid being skipped over in favor of other artists. Grabbing the listeners attention by getting to the hook faster is one way to do it.
The evolution of the music industry will continue to be directly influenced by advances in technology. The ability to create music in whole new ways and having it be heard by millions of listeners on a global scale is driving a complete transformation of the music industry as we know it. If you’re considering a future in the music industry and don’t know where to start, check out the programs at International College of Broadcasting (ICB). With programs in Multimedia Production, Recording and Broadcasting, ICB is training the next generation of artists. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a campus tour.