Mainstream monotony in music, part 4: cold hard truths
Now we know: chart music becoming more boring isn't just a theory, there are studies to prove it. One big question remains: why? Let’s try to explain.
It's Max Martin's fault. He alone is responsible for breaking music. At least, that's what many Youtube theorists would want you to believe. Max Martin has produced and written countless successful songs, working with Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and many others. Discogs currently lists him as a co-writer on 1,236 songs. No wonder everything sounds the same when everything was produced by the same person.
We've found our scapegoat. Sadly, life isn't that simple. Max Martin didn't cause everything to sound the same by himself. As a producer, he only adds those tiny little details needed for success. If he didn't, someone else would.
The reasons for increasing monotony in mainstream music are complex and cannot be reduced to blaming a single person. If there is one main cause, it's the worldwide struggle for attention, which is only getting worse and worse due to technological advances.
The world at your fingertips
Thanks to Spotify and Co., millions of songs are available to you whenever you want. That's why I rarely take the time to listen to an album in detail – there's too much to discover. In principle, every song in existence is in constant competition for my attention. During the CD age, this competition was limited to the small amount of music I owned myself. Plus the few CDs I could listen to in the store.
In the fight for attention, songs have to stand out on the one hand, on the other hand they have to appear familiar. After all, you like what you know. You first have to get used to new things, which requires time, energy and concentration. If a CD is a bit like a book, then Spotify is like online news. And just like articles, songs are getting shorter and shorter.
Streaming has been the gold standard in music consumption for a while now: listening to whatever you want is easier than ever. Even MP3 file-sharing services made more music available than I could have ever heard. Before that there was self-burned CDs, MTV and countless radio stations. All things my father didn't have in his youth.
The gatekeepers have changed
In the Internet age, musicians become famous in a different way. Record deals used to be everything. Big labels decided who they wanted to give a chance and who they didn't. Talent was already pre-selected.
These days, artists can theoretically produce their music completely by themselves. Studio equipment has become much cheaper and more powerful. Publishing isn't a problem anyway, everyone can do that themselves.
This should lead to more diversity, not less. Those who used to be kicked out of the studio by producers because they didn't fit the taste of the times can now work on their own. The diversity across music in general is actually increasing. However, this diversity won't ever breach the charts. Without the support of a label, innovative or experimental music usually remains in a niche.
Labels can no longer afford supporting experimental musicians. This used to be different: there was always the possibility of a surprise success with huge profits around the corner. Profits so large that they made up for any futile investment.
Today, revenue is generally smaller, surprise successes less likely and, to make matters worse, promotion is becoming more and more expensive for labels. According to the IFPI, the music industry association, it costs between 200,000 and 700,000 US dollars to promote an artist on a grand scale. Marketing and promotion is the biggest cost, even before recording and music videos. Videos of course also contributing to promotion.
The consequence of this is that labels no longer take any risks. Only artists with the highest probability for mass appeal get selected. This can only mean one thing: everything must go according to plan.
Algorithms instead of people decide
Theoretically, anyone can make it big on their own, but the chances of this are extremely slim. Although every song can be found on streaming platforms, not everyone is equally visible. Pre-selection persists, even today. However, humans no longer dominate this process: algorithms do. What is suggested and recommended on Spotify and Youtube, which search hits appear at the top, it's all machines.
These recommendations are adapted to your listening habits, but some music is just promoted as standard. If your piece gets more promotion you get more listeners, which leads to further promoting and chart success – resulting in even more fans, and suddenly you've got a hit on your hands.
Analysing what's hot and what isn't
Musicians and labels alike are all trying to figure out how these algorithms work. Some things are common knowledge. According to Pitchfork, when it comes to Spotify, a song must run for at least 30 seconds to be counted as «heard».
As a result, producers try to stuff as many things as possible into the first 30 seconds. Ignoring whatever comes after that. The «hook», the most catchy part of a song, has to pop up in the first 30 seconds.
The current Maroon 5 hit «Memories» serves as a good example. It begins with a catchy melody repeated three times during the first 30 seconds. Nothing new follows this. Constant repetition of this 10-second melody, sometimes slightly modified to signify a chorus.
It's not the band, it's the year. The first Maroon 5 hits from 2002 are structured differently. «She will be loved» has a real chorus (0:59 in the video), a bridge (2:45) and an outro (3:55). Not much happens in the first 30 seconds – what makes the song a hit is its chorus. A song unfit for the Spotify age.
Forget the charts
Many users already commented on my first three articles: yes, there is huge variety if you take the time to actively search. Charts and the radio no longer offer inspiration, but recommendations from friends, curators, random discoveries on the Internet – being a fan of music has never been more rewarding. Finding huge quantities of what you want is just a bit harder.
Header image: shutterstock.com
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David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
