Let’s set some ground rules for music innovation to take place. Instead of swinging around in the dark hoping to hit something, let’s remember what happened before this moment.
Ground rules to follow the recap of music history 101.
Pre 1900
Composers ruled the culture, to listen and enjoy their music we bought sheet music that we could play at home. This was obviously ruled by the older, well versed in playing piano at parties, rich older crowd. Thus those “fans” where keen to the rich venues in which this music was heard.
1900-1920
We get the record and moved from “music only in gatherings” to “personal music at home”. Much like when the printing press was invented and bibles where given to individuals, the experience became personal, but also global. The machines however where still expensive and for the wealthy. Therefore those “fans” where mostly still adults but now with a taste for a sound they may not have felt safe listening to in a crowd but secretly enjoy on their own, jazz.
1920-1948
The radio broadcast was born and now for the first time, bands that wheren’t selling out concert halls could be heard and appreciated. “Hey maybe these new guys have potential!”, BOOM record labels born. Our “fans” become more global. Now it’s a personal experience for them because they can associate with acts that their friends haven’t even heard of yet! (Sound a little familiar hipsters?)
1948-1960
The LP makes it’s way into the mainstream record labels. Suddenly we can have entire Broadway and Film scores in our homes to listen to. The “fans”, who are still an older crows and of different taste’s, demand the show’s they went to see and hit songs from musicals dominate the charts.
1960-1995
Kids hate the musicals they where dragged to and rock music takes flight. This is a pivotal moment. Record labels, still servicing old people music stuggle like hell to stay afloat because they don’t know how to cater immediately to these teenage kids who all of a sudden rule music! (Sound familiar again?) Radio’s thrive though, because radios have the ability to play whatever they want and give the “fans” everything they demand. In fact they titled it “call in to request”. The age of teeny bopper music begins. The age of old man music is dead and all the money and demand is from the kids.
1995-2006
The internet becomes a leading entertainment source. Suddenly at your fingertips you can instantly choose music you want to listen to. Legal (traceable music) or illegal (non-traceable music) and the “fans” can have a much more “personal” experience with their music that they don’t have to buy or obtain from other people and can… wait… 1900-1920’s?
2006-Now
Youtube and Twitter hit the public and all of a sudden, the EVEN YOUNGER crowd jumps on the music band wagon as music becomes a global mess of video, spectacle, community, and… wait… 1920-1948?
Observations
1. What was once the evolution of music for the older rich crowd, is now the same evolution in music that is taking place for the younger, average income or less crowd. Thus the demands are for younger artists who sing about “partying your troubles away” and thus the demand for the counter-culture crowd who wants to associate with anything that doesn’t talk about that.
2. So what comes next? The invention of a new music format and way to distribute like in 1948? Probably not. There’s no longer a need for that because we have created music that really doesn’t have a lot of obvious limitation.
3. Are we due for a new music form? Too late, it’s called indie music and just like in the 60’s, record labels are trying to figure out how the hell to adjust. But don’t be so dense as to call this time period “The Death of Major Labels”. You’re going to end up sounding just as ridiculous as the rockers in the 60’s did.
Here are the ground rules on which to build innovation and growth.
IF People WILL continue to listen to and enjoy music privately more than publically as they have before.
AND The indie music culture WILL always enjoy music that you haven’t ever heard as they have before.
AND FURTHERMORE As the Radio thrived in the market of rock music, so WILL the internet thrive in the market of Indie.
THEN Because 2 and 3 are true we can assume that the indie music culture WILL always pull their unheard music from the internet on which it thrives.
AND Because indie music is accessible and free, watch out indie music, the pre-teen girls of tomorrow are invading you next.
WHICH MEANS This will push the next counter culture and older crowd back to mainstream pop music.
And that’s what’s next.
Taran Gray