At the same time the industrial revolution industrialized production. Production was not done by the local blacksmith anymore, it was done by the gigantic factory spitting out identical parts.
And alongside the factory, music was industrialized , by the radio. Suddenly everyone in the country could listen to the same music. And just as suddenly, music was something you didn't participate in, but observed.
Music went through a seventy year phase of industrial oligopoly control, where few could join, but those who did made money in a tightly controlled distribution network.
And then, the new phase of music began, with the IPod. Suddenly technology could go around the distribution network, and could connect an artist with an audience without going through the music industry selecting what an audience would hear. Does this mean music is dying, or dead? Probably not, but it does mean the music industry is largely irrelevant. The 2020s may be musically more like the 1890s than Led Zepplin's time, fragmented, but innovative to its own audience.
We had a great thread the other day where a lot of shared YouTube videos of songs back from the 60s, mostly obscure that most of us had never heard before, but were hidden gems....it’s like they say, it’s new, if you’ve never heard it before.
Brilliant essay, Vince. I can see the truth in what you stated there.
Well, I hope we're returning to that. Every time I see someone walking down the street with a real musical instrument (saxophone, guitar, flute, violin, etc.) I want to shake his (her) hand. Every time I see someone so absorbed in their iPod that they can't share the sidewalk or make eye contact, I feel like screaming in frustration.
We’re even further along than that. Everyone is an “artist” now. The participation isn’t limited to musical ability, distribution channels or anything and despite that we have in many cases better quality.
I’ve heard “fans” or audience members cover tunes better and more creatively than the original artist. The 20th century was a control freaks dream century of confluence. My hope is that the 21st century is one of liberty, real liberty.
bttt
I've always liked rock, but the more I learn about politics, and the politics of most musicians, the less I can stand to listen to it because of the insane liberal ideologies they promote (listen to Neil Young's "Rockin’ In The Free World", especially the last verse. Eff him and his opinion of America).
Suddenly technology could go around the distribution network, and could connect an artist with an audience without going through the music industry selecting what an audience would hear.
I hear ads on the radio that implore people not to download tunes for free (steal the music) and while I agree totally with property rights, I note that the music industry is mostly protecting itself, not the artists. My understanding is that the artists make their money off of touring, which of course you have to pay to see. Since they've promoted socialism and the destruction of private property for so long, it's hard to have any sympathy for them.