Music

Ted Gioia on the state of contemporary music

‘A new report came out today on the state of contemporary music. But the only thing new is the report. When it comes to the actual music preferred by consumers, old songs are winning every battle.’

Change may be inevitable but not so for the music industry as Ted Gioia discussed in an edition of his newsletter The Honest Broker:

This lack of interest in new offerings would be troubling in any industry. After all, innovation is the lifeblood of a business. But an obsession with the past is particularly ominous when it comes to music.

Music has long been a leading cultural indicator. Throughout history you could predict societal changes before they happened, simply by studying what songs are climbing the charts. What does it mean when this forward-looking art form unexpectedly turns around and decides it prefers the past?

Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You isn’t that good.

Hi, it's Luke, the editor of Sampleface! Why not subscribe to my Patreon and support the blog?

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