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Monday, April 6, 2020
Impact of Music Streaming on the Rise of Independent Artists
IMPACT OF MUSIC STREAMING ON THE RISE OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz Brown
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| The End of purchasing CDs R. Mackay/ Shutterstock |
HISTORY OF MUSIC STREAMING
The music industry is endlessly evolving and there are currently countless platforms where users can stream and download music. In the early 2000’s, the world was introduced to Apple iTunes, where $0.99 granted permission to download any song and create a unique playlist. This was a big change from the world of CD’s and LimeWire (#throwback) because users had not previously had the ability to conveniently (and legally) download the latest music.
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| Limewire, the beginning of the home musician |
MULTIPLE MUSIC PLATFORMS
After the success of iTunes, several other companies got creative. They began to provide music streaming services for a monthly fee, rather than requiring the purchase of each individual song. Platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud, Pandora and Google Play now offer unlimited streaming music services as well as the ability to listen to Podcasts.
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| Spotify is one of the most popular platforms that independent artists can post their work to |
RISE OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS
These streaming services have allowed new ways for artists to express themselves and connect with their audience-- without the burden of signing a record deal. Platforms such as SoundCloud allow users to share their original music with the world for free, and have increased the prevalence of independent artists. In 2018 alone, independent artists generated $643 million, which is a 35% increase from the year before.
Many well-known artists started out as #SoundCloudRappers and as independent artists. Artists like Post Malone, 21 Savage, Migos and Chance the Rapper all began on SoundCloud and they are some of the industry’s top recording artists
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| SoundCloud is another popular audio sharing website |
WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING
More artists will continue to emerge onto the scene as new platforms continuously arise that they can showcase their talents on. Every platform provides several unique opportunities for independent artists and has the potential to skyrocket careers just by making a song go viral overnight. As more music streaming services provide opportunities for free expression, countless artists will continue to resist signing records deals and make the choice to remain independent.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Same Love - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert
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LGBTQ Acceptance in the Music Industry
LGBTQ+ ACCEPTANCE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz Brown
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| Frank Ocean New Music |
#Music offers a snapshot reflecting the attitudes of society during a given time period. Topics such as sexuality which we are able to freely sing about today were forbidden not too long ago. The #LGBTQ community has faced some of the greatest discrimination in music and in history, but has made significant progress and gained widespread acceptance.
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| Sam Smith Marc Piasecki/ WireImage |
HISTORY: WHO STARTED DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THESE PEOPLE ANYWAYS?
The concept of varying sexual orientations is something that has been documented since the dawn of mankind— in fact, hetero- and homo-sexuality are fairly modern terms. Sometime in Ancient Greece, though, society became increasingly concerned with status, and, regardless of gender, individuals of different statuses could not be together, which paved the way for other forms of discrimination. Once Christianity became influential, the predominant view became “that procreative sex within marriage is allowed, while every other expression of sexuality is sinful” (Stanford 2015).
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| Young M.A. Andrew Boyle |
GAINING ACCEPTANCE
This belief that “every other expression of sexuality is sinful” or otherwise considered taboo has carried over through thousands of generations and has heavily impacted #music. The hip-hop industry is one of the most notoriously discriminating, and while several artists have lacked commercial success, others have earned a name for themselves, especially over the past few years. Overall, the music industry has become significantly more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community.
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| Lady Gaga Dan Macmedan/ Getty Images |
MUSIC'S IMPACT ON LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
Exposure, representation and advocacy are three of the most important things that high profile artists provide to the LGBTQ+ community. Troye Sivan’s song “Heaven,” about his struggles with religion and his sexuality, Sia’s tribute to the Pulse nightclub victims in “The Greatest,” Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Same Love” and Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” which has become “an LGBTQ+ anthem,” are all examples of music that has empowered this community. Other artists such as Frank Ocean, Sam Smith, Lil Nas X, Young M.A. and icons like Freddie Mercury have supported this community “simply by being successful LGBTQ+ artists” (Tan 2018).
TODAY
More and more artists are now able to incorporate varying messages about love and relationships into their music. Though the battle is not yet over, society has changed and become a bit more accepting. As more people continue to fearlessly open up and stay true to themselves, progress will continue to be made in the music industry and throughout the world.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Somebody Else - The 1975
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Why Does 80s and 90s Music Sound So 80s and 90s? Is It Back?
WHY DOES 80S AND 90S MUSIC SOUND SO 80S AND 90S? IS IT BACK?
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz Brown
As the saying goes (I think?), the past always catches up with you. And sometimes, that’s a good thing, because the 80’s and 90’s claimed some pretty cool trends, and we’re all for bringing (some of) them back. One of the greatest things about those eras was the music, and many artists today are bringing back those vintage sounds with a modern twist.
80’s and 90’s music is defined by the drum machines and synthesizers that lay the foundation for countless classics such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Bad, and Tears for Fears’ Everyone Wants to Rule the World. In reply to the question, “What is it that makes most music from the 80s sound so distinctly 80s to my millennial ears?” on Quora, guitarist Neil Anderson states:
Largely it’s the production techniques. In the 80s [and 90s] reverb was king. Heavily reverbed snare drums were very common… Talking of drums the drum machines used at the time were often analogue, especially in the early part of the decades, which gives 80s electronic drum sounds a very distinctive sound.”
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| TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX |
Certain bands today bring back a bit of these decades. One of the first bands who came to mind when we decided to write this article is The 1975. They preserve sounds reminiscent of the 80s and 90s, but manage to put their own, new-age take on it. Their song Somebody Else sounds like something you could definitely hear in John Hughes’ cult classic Sixteen Candles.
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| Sixteen Candles/ Universal Pictures |
Another band that immediately came to mind was Empire of the Sun—especially their song Walking on a Dream. They produce vibrant and contemporary yet vintage sounds. Their music has a nostalgic feel to it and provides a wave of endless good vibes to listeners.
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Other, more mainstream artists also throw in familiar 80s and 90s sounds into their music. These artists include The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert and Chance the Rapper—but the list goes on.
Countless adults complain that “people don’t make good music anymore.” But this us vs. them mentality needs to stop—keep an open mind, so much new music is made everyday that incorporates classic sounds! And it is possible to preserve the sounds of previous generations while allowing younger generations to create their own unique style and interpretations of it.
Monday, March 16, 2020
Dr. Feelgood - Motley Crue
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Pressures of the Industry
PRESSURES OF THE INDUSTRY
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz Brown
It’s no secret the pressure celebrities are faced with being in the limelight, but can these pressures lead musicians to cause harm to themselves? In the past few years, recording artists like Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, Whitney Houston, Prince, Amy Winehouse and Mac Miller have all lost their lives from the celebrity pressures and expectations. It is almost a given that many musicians feel the pressures in the music industry and will then turn to using substances to try and escape.
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| Mac Miller performs live on stage during the second day of Lollapalooza Brazil Festival, March 24, 2018 Mauricio Santana/Getty Images |
Motley Crue
In 2019, a Netflix original movie, “The Dirt”, showcases the lifestyle of famous rock band Motley Crue. Motley Crue rose to fame in the 1980’s with many controversies, however one of the most well known facts about this band that they have since spoken about was their use of drugs. Nikki Sixx, guitarist and songwriter for Motley Crue, actually overdosed on heroin, died, and then came back to life. “The Dirt” presented this event in the movie and showed how the lifestyle of “Rock and Roll” entails a lifestyle of partying, drinking and using drugs. Many musicians incorporate the use of drugs and alcohol into their music
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| The Dirt is a documentary about Motley Crue, a band infamous for their drug usage. Directed by Jeff Tremaine. |
Bieber's Story
Justin Bieber was discovered when he was only 13 years old, so he pretty much grew up in the music industry. In a recent interview, Justin Bieber got candid in front of the camera with his new YouTube documentary called “Seasons.” Bieber spoke about his daily routine with incorporating drugs into his life and he said the second he would wake up in the morning he would pop pills and smoke a blunt. In his documentary, Bieber also admitted to using Molly and Mushrooms as a means to escape from the pressures he lived with being in the public eye to millions of fans with an emphasis on a younger audience. Bieber is now sober and he said, “And for all of the followers that need to benefit from the music that I make — I can’t do it if I’m not wholesome,” he additionally said. “I haven’t been wholesome for a very long time.” Bieber is on the road to recovery and has become an advocate for young artists because he himself grew up in this industry and knows the pressures artists feel when being looked up to from their audience.
Alcoholism
Artists like Macklemore, Keith Urban, Lana Del Ray and Elton John have all risen above alcoholism and now are examples for others in the industry to look up to. Macklemore relapsed from being sober for 3 years in 2008 and is an advocate for starting over. Macklemore has spoken about the constant uphill journey it is for being sober and that if you relapse it is okay, but in order to grow as a person you will have to keep moving and try to be your best self. Elton John has also come forward about his previous addictions to alcohol and drugs and has since expressed his regrets with using drugs.
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| Macklemore is an advocate for battling alcoholism and is outspoken about "starting over" |
It seems undeniable that the music industry puts pressure on artists to consume drugs and alcohol often to a point of tragedy. These tragedies are often just brushed off as "how things are" but we believe that there should be a closer examination of how the industry pressures artist, especially young artists, and what can be done to make it a more safe environment.
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Monday, March 9, 2020
Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko
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Love and Relationships
LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz Brown
#Music all across the world sends messages throughout different cultures about relatable themes, experiences and issues. One theme that’s present in every genre is love and relationships. From heartbreaks to mental health to homosexuality, music has helped to normalize more open conversations about love and relationships.
POP AND COUNTRY MUSIC
Artists like Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran immediately come to mind when naming pop and country singers who have countless songs about #love, #dating and #heartaches. Most songs in these two genres discuss similar themes, mainly within monogamous relationships. Topics that are discussed in these genres vary greatly and consistently push the limits on what is openly talked about—including personal struggles with anxiety and depression, sexual preferences and difficult relationships with family, friends and partners.
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| Blake Shelton's concert at Gila River Area, March 5th, 2020 Jim Louvau/ Special for the Republic |
RAP AND ROCK AND ROLL
Both #rock n’ roll and #rap music are notorious for glorifying money, partying and sometimes cheating. Countless songs mention the goal of having multiple men and women to choose from to avoid boredom. However, there has been a shift In the attitudes of both male and female rappers and rock stars who are instead highlighting the importance of real love and loyalty, and who are committed to inspiring real #relationshipgoals.
LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION
Icons like Elton John, Ricky Martin and Queen’s Freddie Mercury are widely celebrated today, but not long ago they caused considerable controversy for daring to defy social norms. Today, openly gay artists like Sam Smith, Calum Scott and Adam Lambert have collectively amassed billions of fans all while staying true to themselves. All of these artists have paved the way for even more young LGBTQ+ musicians to explore their true potential.
In the hip-hop and RnB industries, acceptance has slowly gained momentum. Despite the hate, artists like Young M.A., Frank Ocean and Lil Nas X have dominated their industries each in their own ways. Surprisingly enough, even within the Latin reggaeton industry (often riddled with sexism and toxic masculinity), artists such as Bad Bunny have taken a stance and become open allies of the LGBTQ+ community.
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| Lil Nas X received six Grammy nominations, including record, album and new artist Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images for BET |
WHAT'S THE MESSAGE?
Monday, February 17, 2020
Praying - Ke$ha
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Women vs. Sexism
Women vs. Sexism
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz Brown
An Unfortunate History
Sexism against women in the music industry is nothing new, and it is not particular to any specific genre. Films like The Girls in the Band even explore this theme the early 1900’s jazz scene, where women were blatantly seen as inferior and were only respected as signers or pianists-- but this disparity in treatment between was alive well before then. According to the New York Times, “in an analysis of the top 600 songs from 2012 to 2017—defined by Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 chart for each of those six years—the study found that of 1,239 performing artists, 22.4 percent of them were women.”
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| Girls in the Band is a documentary directed by Judy Chaikin ©Independent Pictures |
This is one way gender inequality in music is perpetuated, but it is also normalized in many other ways. Genres including, but not limited to, rap, hip-hop and pop contain countless songs that frequently refer to men, women and sex using increasingly derogatory terms. Sexism is also maintained in the industry through the abusive treatment of female artists by powerful figures.
Several artists are coming forward and telling their own stories about how they have been violated and taken advantage of by their record labels. In 2017, the #MeToo movement began after popular artists like Kesha, Lady Gaga, Camilla Cabello, Cyndi Lauper and Andra Day spoke about how several music producers are sexual predators who are getting away with their crimes.
In 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit against Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, her former mentor at her label. Gottwald allegedly abused Kesha in multiple ways: she stated that he sexually assaulted her and physically, emotionally and mentally abused her. Following Kesha’s decision to file charges, other artists like Lady Gaga (who has referred to the music industry as a “boys club”) stepped forward and shared a similar story involving a record producer when she was only 19 years old.
Later, In 2017, Jessie Reyez—a recording artist who has written songs with Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa and Sam Smith-- came forward and addressed how music producer Noel “Detail” Fisher belittled her for not having sex with him, then suggested it was the only way she would become famous. Once she came forward, more women shared similar experiences with Noel Fisher. More female artists have stepped forward and talked about how many women in the industry are taught that in order to be successful they have to have sex, similar to many actresses related to the Harvey Weinstein case.
Positive Changes
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| Ke$ha is an artist who has come forward about her struggles with her producer ©MTV |
Despite all of the darkness hidden within the industry that is now coming to light, there’s also been a positive shift in the message being sent through music. People are not afraid to speak out as much anymore, and as the voice of younger generations grows louder, there has been an even stronger push for equality for everyone. Today, female artists are able to be more powerful than ever and are continuously entering the industry and topping the charts.
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