Comment by adamors
3 days ago
I don't agree, endless music from faceless artists have made everything weightless and interchangeable, the never ending stream of recommended artists means that clicking next is more exciting than actually listening to something.
I remember 15-20 years ago, every album (even digital album) meant something, I remember trading CDs and MP3s with friends and listening to an album (or even a song) over and over again. Now we're spoiled for choice and very, very few artists produce something that will be remembered in 10 years, let alone 5.
I feel like you're describing some strange alternate universe. I genuinely don't understand what you're talking about.
Faceless artists? Artists have dedicated followings with fanbases where they interact more than ever before. Weightless and interchangeable? Artist's personalities are more distinct and individual than ever.
You think people don't listen to albums anymore? That they're "clicking next" rather than listening? Do you actually know anybody who likes music? I think you might not actually be in touch with today's music scene.
> Faceless artists? Artists have dedicated followings with fanbases where they interact more than ever before.
Not so much these days. Especially on streaming platforms where countless tracks that get pushed on listeners are recorded by anonymous session musicians whose works are sometimes put out under an assigned name for that singe track, then they get assigned a new name for the next track they put out. Even worse, a lot of music on Spotify and Apple Music are 100% AI generated tracks. Literally faceless.
> You think people don't listen to albums anymore? That they're "clicking next" rather than listening?
Many aren't even "clicking next". They're just taking whatever comes next over their speakers and letting their streaming platform decide for them what they're hearing.
Of course faceless artists exist if that's what you're actively seeking. And sure some people are putting on AI-generated tracks in the background while they study or whatever.
But that's not representative. Regular people who like regular real-life artists continue to listen to them, the same as they always have.
And I don't know anybody who outsources their music tastes entirely to e.g. Spotify. Like, you have to actually pick a playlist or something. You have to make some choice. And like I said, people have been "just taking whatever comes next over their speakers" by listening to the radio for many, many decades.
You're commenting as if something has changed for the worse in the past 15-20 years. It hasn't. It's only gotten better in terms of real music. And if you don't like the AI slop, don't listen to it.
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The other thing that has happened over the past 15-20 years is that you've aged as much, though.
I remember being very excited about my favorite band releasing a new record when I was a teenager. Not that I don't enjoy that today at all, but I feel like the difference can be explained by my having heard dozens of more great albums since then much better than by the shift from physical to virtual media.
Looking at today's teenagers, I am not concerned about them not appreciating individual songs and artists enough. (If anything, I'd argue the opposite!)
> very, very few artists produce something that will be remembered in 10 years, let alone 5.
So... like most artists of any type since forever?