Music fuels the soul. It is the anthem of our culture and the soundtrack to our lives. For centuries music has shifted and transformed into endless sea of haunting vibrations. From Classical to Jazz, Punk to Hip Hop, new sounds have risen and blossomed and branched out into hundreds upon hundreds of distinct genres. In the past ten years alone, the amount of subcultures and genres has skyrocketed. There are, in fact, so many artists in the continuously evolving world of music that the demand to hear and be heard has made way fascinating and innovative services.
Music videos blew onto the scene in the 1980s, altering the way people received their music, with MTV at the forefront. Times have changed, however, and MTV is more geared to reality television and YouTube and Vevo are the new authority on music videos. Artists and rely heavier on these services for self-promotion than ever before. “Going viral” is the best bet for a song to catch steam and make its way to a larger audience. Not only does YouTube help promote buzz for new albums, it gives birth to new artists.
The internet is such a dominant feature in the musical artists and consumer’s life that albums are now released primarily online to services providers like Itunes and Amazon. Myspace is now specifically for music networking, and streaming services such as Spotify and IheartRadio tailor music needs for their consumers. It is because services like this that music lovers are more in control, able to command audiences and sounds suited to their liking. Record stores have all but vanished across the nation, with few remaining for the more avid collectors.
Although it is simpler for people to get their music out there it’s become more difficult to protect. Pirating sites that offer illegally downloaded torrents have become problematic for many artists who now depend more on touring and merchandising to keep their income and career afloat. For struggling artists, it is a double-edged sword -- easier to get exposure, harder to make a living.
The list of music genres and subgenres will continue to grow over the years and the need for consumption and creativity will never cease. The scene may change, but music lives on.