There was a time when the concept of “music news” was confined to new releases, concerts, and gossip. But thanks to technology, there are almost daily developments that point to ways in which we’re watching music transform. Depending on who you are in the musical food chain, your perceptions of whether these new tech translations are good—or bad—for those who write and play the music, versus organizations that promote and market it.
Here are several of these stories, all of which have come to light in just the past week or so. Not all of them are soaked in tech, but they are all interesting in their own way. Do these stories leave you with a better or worse feeling about where music may be headed?
Brandi Carlile’s all-request tour – Radio probably made the format famous, but now performers are shaking things up by letting the audience call the shots—at least for one night. Next month, Brandi Carlile kicks off an innovation for her, her band, and her fans—an all-request tour. And it makes you wonder why more stations don’t take a page from their old playbooks, and find a way to give the audience control.
And for those fans who have to see their favorite artists in multiple cities and venues, the all-request format guarantees a different show every night.
And if it’s any indication, look how excited the artist is to actually “break format.”
Here comes Rockbeast – We know how popular games like Guitar Hero (2005) and Rock Band (2007) were back in the day. While they didn’t teach gamers how to actually play guitar, they exposed players to a lot of music, in many cases, Classic Rock.
Now gaming company Critical Role is set to launch Rockbeasts, a new game with a very different premise. The game is set in the ’90s where players manage a struggling garage band. The goal is to guide them through the ups and downs of the music industry without departing from their musical roots.
It’s a fascinating premise covered in more detail in a story in Nerdist.
Taylor Swift nears a Fab Four milestone – Thanks to the release of four new bonus tracks from her Encore album, Taylor now has scored 16 #1 hits on the “Billboard Hot 100.” She’s now closing in on the Beatles all-time record of 20 chart-toppers.
And to discuss what this record-breaking moment might have on a rapidly changing music industry, the Billboard team debates the significance of this moment. They also discuss the dynamic of what it took to produce a hit in the ’60s compared to today’s disrupted dynamics.
Here’s Taylor’s new single, “Patient Zero,” eliciting this comment from writer Kyle Denis:
“Business as usual. It’d be a big deal if ‘Patient Zero’ didn’t debut at No. 1.”
“Doth protest too much” – Rage Against the Machine co-founder, Tom Morello, put together a protest festival, bringing together some of Rock’s biggest names for his “Power to the People” festival which recently took place in Maryland. Among them, Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Soundgarden, and many others.
Covered by Guitar World, the event was positioned as “a day of peace, love, justice, and music.” Protest music is apparently not dead yet, even in our hi-tech world.
Kentucky’s music run – It was recently announced by Governor Andy Beshear that Kentucky is open for (music) business. The state’s new “Office of Music” is designed to support musicians in the state, while also promoting jobs and tourism.
Here’s Governor Beshear’s statement:
“Music is a part of who we are in Kentucky. We are proud of our musical heritage and we’re committed to investing in this industry and doing the work to ensure it remains successful for years to come,” Governor Beshear said in a statement. “The Office of Music will ensure our commonwealth remains a place where musicians can build a career, where venues and festivals can thrive, and where people can come together to enjoy great music.”
Given the massive success of both Nashville and Austin, it will be interesting to see whether Governor Beshear’s announcement will catch on in other states and/or municipalities.
Avatars in concert – While not a new idea, the concept of paying to watch avatars mirror the actual superstars appears to be scaling up. The Guardian reports that British startup Unit1 has now raised nearly £15m to invest in a tech startup that will put on concerts made up of avatars to represent the whole thing.
Unit1’s Barney Wragg (pictured) promises a “hyper realistic” experience made up of digital avatars
representing living artists who no longer tour as well as dead musicians. Wragg headed up Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entertainment company before forming this new venture.
One application involves real musicians on stage with avatar performers. Musician KT Tunstall (pictured) has been working with Unit1 to create these mashup concerts, featuring collaborations of real and synthetic musicians.
Here’s how it’s being technically produced:
Lucien Grainge: Been there, done that – He’s called “the most powerful person in the music industry.” Lucien Grainge has held the CEO/chairman post at Universal Music Group since 2010. And as he explained to The Hollywood Reporter‘s Ethan Millman, “Nothing really scares me.”
Of course, he’s talking about AI’s impact on his company and on the music industry. Grainge feels like he’s already survived several existential crises, including the cassettes to CD transition, Napster and file-sharing, and Spotify and streaming. His role now as it was then: backing artists. And that involves investment, creating commercial opportunities, name/likeness issues, and their legacies.
It’s a great article, and speaks to how leadership must confront and be proactive with technology, without losing focus or the mission. You can access it here.
Phoebe Bridgers’ Phone Ban – Every story has an outlier, an exception, an anomaly. And while it is not exactly new to ban smartphones from concerts, the fact Phoebe Bridgers is actively enforcing this policy on her current tour is newsworthy and significant.
A fascinating story by Lindsay Zoladz, writing in The New York Times’ “Critic’s Notebook,” breaks down what it’s like to attend a concert “phone-less.” The new tour is supporting her “Lost Weekend,” an emotional collection of personal songs, some of which confront her father’s death.
This YouTube “Shorts” video captures this moment for Bridgers, as she resumes touring—and her life—at this crossroad period in her life and musical career:
We often talk about technology’s impact on radio in this space. Today, we let the music—and those who make it—do the talking.
Which one resonated most for you?
President & Founder at Jacobs Media
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched – a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created – a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the “connected car” and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media’s commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
