Technology has changed the way we listen to music in a drastic way over the past couple of decades. You likely haven’t been to the record store lately, and you probably have very few (if any) CDs lying around the house.
As the years pass, the way we consume, produce, and hear music has paralleled the fast-paced development of technology. DJs work with laptops, and almost all music is digitally produced now.
Check out a quick look at some more specific changes that have occurred in the music industry thanks to the innovation of technology.
Software synthesization of music
Unless you’re listening to jazz, rock, or country, the music you hear is likely entirely synthesized by special software. There are no real instruments used in the making of a great bulk of today’s popular music.
The level of skill involved in making music has shifted. Anyone with a scarce knowledge of software can create new tunes in the 21st century.
Music connectivity in the way we listen
The way we listen to our music is definitely different than it was just a decade ago. Bluetooth headphones used to be these large, bulky things that only lasted a couple of hours between charging.
This year, Apple released the AirPods. Their charge will last all day (for several days in some cases), and AirPods are completely wireless. You get your own little charging box for storage, and they have excellent sound quality.
The distribution of music is different
Streaming music from apps such as Pandora and Spotify are taking over. Artificial intelligence drives the music we hear, and has the capability to cater to each individual’s liking. If you’ve had a Pandora account for several years, you already understand the usefulness of the technology.
Truly owning your music is a thing of the past
People don’t really own their music anymore. You can purchase digital copies or access to streaming music, but there’s no real need to physically “own” music now. Go grab some music, and see how long it takes you.
The change in the way we listen and access our music has directly affected the relationship between listeners and their music. Music fans rarely listen to whole albums anymore, and the days of passing your music collection on to the next generation are over.
The power of one person has expanded dramatically
The capabilities of just one person in the music industry have shifted in a big way. Artists like Ed Sheeran and Tash Sultana use looping machines to create very intricate and layered tracks of music. With this technology, one person can do the work of several with the right equipment.
