Introduction
The past couple of decades have seen a rapid advancement in digital technology, leading to significant changes in the way we live, work, and communicate. The rise of the internet, smartphones, social media, and digital tools have transformed many aspects of our lives, including how we produce and consume music. Rapid change has come everywhere in all aspects of life. A recurring theme in this kind of rapid change and evolution is that the methods may change, however the end goal or products remain the same no matter what, this resembles resilience. The Oxford Dictionary defines resilience as the ability to withstand or recover quickly from hardships or difficulties. Examples of this sort of resiliency and adaptation can be found almost anywhere in life. For example, in the aftermath of natural disaster, life goes on regardless, “Haitian resilience accords with some definitions from the literature. It also comprises of the intentional choice to survive and function—when there is no alternative course of action.” It is also important to remember that new problems breed new solutions as Julia Watson states in “How to build a resilient future using ancient wisdom”, “It’s been inspired by an idea that we can seed creativity in crisis.” (Watson, J. August 21, 2020). In relation to music production, the resiliency of this industry is currently being undertaken by digital technology. The basic idea that an artist produces their art and has the ability to profit from said art has been compromised in recent years. This poses a threat to the estimated 150,000 working musicians and singers even just in the United States alone according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Just like anything else, artists and the music industry will simply have to adapt or find a solution to this problem through the “intentional choice to survive and function” as well.
The production of music has undergone significant changes over the past few decades, with the advent of digital technology playing a major role. While digital technology has brought many benefits to the music industry, such as easier access to music and new distribution channels, there are also negative impacts. The extent to which advancement in digital technology has negatively impacted the production of music is heavily significant as many of the current problems the industry faces being rooted in recent advancements in digital tech. These problems include the rise music of piracy, various economic consequences on artists, as well as a sharp decline in the perceived value of music.
Benefits from Digital Technology
The main counterargument to this is that advancements in digital technology have revolutionized the way music is distributed, making it easier, faster, and more accessible to a wider audience. Before the existence of digital music, physical copies of music, such as CD’s or vinyl records were the only means of distribution. This meant that music took a lot more time, money, and resources to not only produce, but to consume as well. Today, music can be easily distributed through online music stores and streaming services, such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. These services provide consumers with access to millions of songs at their hands, making it easy to discover new artists, genres, and listen to music anytime, anywhere, on any device. According to music research institution The College Music Society, digital technology has also enabled musicians and independent artists to distribute their music more easily and cost-effectively. Artists no longer need to rely on record labels to produce and distribute their music. Instead, they can distribute their music independently through online music streaming services such as the ones mentioned, which allow them to reach a global audience and connect with fans worldwide. (Kramer, J.D. n.d.)
The Perception of Music’s Worth
While digital technology has undoubtedly had a positive impact on the distribution of music, it has also had negative effects on the perceived value of music. The widespread availability of free low-cost digital music has led many to view music as a disposable commodity, rather than a valuable art form. This has undermined the economic and social value of music, leading to a decline in revenues for artists, record labels, and other music industry stakeholders. Moreover, the rise of digital music has also contributed to the decline of physical music formats, such as CD’s and vinyl records, which were once highly prized and collected by music enthusiasts. While digital music is convenient and portable, it lacks the tangible and collectible qualities of physical music formats, which can be seen as a cultural loss.
Effects of Facilitated Music Access
While digital tech has significantly improved access to and the distribution of music, this facilitated access has led to a big problem for artists, music piracy. Music piracy refers to the unauthorized distribution of music without the consent of the artist or record label, typically through peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks or illegal streaming sites. The Southern Utah University states, while it has been made easier for artists to share and promote their music, it has also led to the rise of music piracy, which has had a profound impact on the earnings of the artists and the overall health of the industry. One of the primary reasons for the rise of music piracy is the ease with which digital music can be copied and shared. With the proliferation of high-speed internet connections, it has become effortless for users to download and share music files, often at no cost. The availability of digital music also means that the quality of pirated music is often on par with legally obtained music, making it difficult for consumers to justify paying for music when they could simply get it for free. Additionally, the anonymity provided by online piracy makes it difficult for law enforcement to track down and prosecute individuals involved in music piracy. The prevalence of music piracy has had a severe effect on artists, with many seeing a significant decline in revenue from the sale of their music. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), even the United States economy as a whole loses an estimated $12.5 billion in total output annually as a result of music theft or piracy. This loss of revenue has had a domino effect on the industry, resulting in decreased budgets for music production, marketing, and artist development. Trusted music site Bestdigitalpianoguides.com claims that the decline in revenue has also led to fewer opportunities for emerging artists to break into the industry, as labels are less likely to take risks on unknown artists. Simply put, music piracy makes it more difficult for artists to earn a living from their music.
Economic Consequences
While social issues presented with advancement in digital tech, along with issues that music piracy causes both have had severe effects on the music industry, the advent of digital music has also had significant economic consequences for artists. One of the most significant economic consequences of the digital era is the decline of album sales. The traditional model of releasing a full-length album has become less popular, as many fans now prefer to stream individual songs or create their own playlists. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, “In 2018, album sales fell 18.2 percent from the previous year and song sales fell 28.8 percent, according to U.S. year-end report figures from data company BuzzAngle, which tracks music consumption. Meanwhile, total on-demand music streams, including both audio and video, shot up 35.4 percent. Audio on-demand streams set a new record high in 2018 of 534.6 billion streams, which is up 42 percent from 2017’s 376.9 billion streams.” As a result, artists are now generating less revenue from the sale of their music, which has a direct impact on their bottom line. In addition to this, the streaming model used by many digital platforms often provides only a fraction of a penny per stream, meaning that artists have to generate a large number of plays to earn a substantial amount of money. Business Insider reported that Spotify pays artists approximately $0.0033 per stream. Then, up to 80% of that revenue can go to a record label. This leaves approximately $0.0007 per stream for artists signed to record labels. The shift towards digital distribution has also led to an increase in competition among artists, making it more difficult for emerging artists to establish themselves in the industry. With so many new artists releasing music every day, it can be challenging for artists to stand out and attract the attention of fans and industry professionals. As a result, many artists are forced to rely on other income streams, such as merchandise sales and touring, to generate revenue.
Prevalent Subjective Arguments
One of the primary concerns with digital technology and music production is the potential for a decline in the quality of music. With digital technology, it has become easier than ever for artists to produce music without the need for live instrumentation or a professional recording studio. While this may seem like a positive development, some argue that it has led to a decline in the overall quality of music. This is because the use of digital technology can make it easier for artists to rely on auto-tuning and other post-production techniques that can mask flaws in their vocal performance or the instrumental tracks they use. As a result, the argument has been made that digital technology has led to a decline in the overall authenticity and emotional impact of music. Another concern with digital technology and music production is the impact it has on the music industry as a whole. With the rise of digital streaming services and other online platforms, the music industry has become more decentralized than ever before. While this has opened up new opportunities for independent artists to share their music with a wider audience, it has also led to a decrease in the power of traditional music labels and the role they play in shaping the direction of industry. This has caused worry that the advancement in tech has led to a loss of direction in the industry, with less emphasis on the development of new artists and more focus on the production of commercially successful music. There are also concerns about the impact of digital technology on the creative process itself. While digital technology has undoubtedly made it easier for artists to produce music, the argument has been made that this has also made the process more formulaic and less experimental. This is because the use of digital technology can make it easy for artists to rely on pre-packaged sounds and textures. As a result, critics worry that digital tech may be stifling the creativity and innovation that have traditionally been at the heart of music production. A significant point to keep in mind in relation to the theme of resilience is the possibility of over-resilience or too much resilience. A paper by Harvard Business Review illustrates this perfectly, “Large-scale scientific studies suggest that even adaptive competencies become maladaptive if taken to the extreme. As Rob Kaiser’s research on leadership versatility indicates, overused strengths become weaknesses. In line, it is easy to conceive of situations in which individuals could be too resilient for their own sake.” In relation to music production, artists may suffer greatly from certain negative effects digital tech has had on production if they simply learn to live with these damaging factors. Instead of focusing on the resilience of their careers, financial stability, and the industry, artists may get too wrapped up in accommodating certain negative components that have developed over time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while digital technology has brought about a range of benefits to the music industry, it has also had major negative effects. From the economic consequences of music piracy to the declining value of music, these effects have had a significant impact on the industry and the people who work within it. As the industry continues to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape, it will be important to find ways to mitigate these negative effects and ensure that the value and creativity of music continues to be appreciated and rewarded.
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