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Are we really going to be listening to guitar/bass/drums and hip-hop 20 years from now? Will professional songwriters become extinct because they can't make any money? What will the future bring?

 

Well, here are some of my thoughts...

 

Music listening devices will be wearable technology. We went from not being able to carry music around with us, to carrying heavy and limited players, to having iPods that were far less limited, and now, we don't have carry anything because we have music in our phones. Phones are going to end up as wearable technology, and music will go along for the ride.

 

Streaming companies will come up with a virtual currency, with smart blockchain transactions. You buy a bunch of credits, and put a virtual dime in the virtual jukebox when you want to hear something - the HBO model. And there will also be free streaming stuff, like network TV. But when you pay using the virtual currency, being a blockchain transaction, it will keep track of the songwriter, the artist, and...well, whatever you want. If the producer managed to wrangle a couple points, that info would become part of the blockchain and would be taken into account when paying royalties.

 

The big money will be from licensing, and that's where pro songwriters will finally be able to make money again. Instead of aspiring to sell a million records, musicians will aspire to Disney licensing their song for a movie.

 

And in the wishful thinking department...major music companies (Yamaha, Roland, Casio, Fender, Gibson, etc.) will band together, just like MIDI, to create and support a computer dedicated solely to musical applications. We really need to stop being addicted to Microsoft and Apple...every time they sneeze, we catch a cold.

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... The big money will be from licensing, and that's where pro songwriters will finally be able to make money again. Instead of aspiring to sell a million records, musicians will aspire to Disney licensing their song for a movie. ...

 

Totally agree with this. Also, musicians will bypass the standard record company format, relying on direct deals with Apple and Amazon for distribution, and YouTube for publicity. People who create interesting YouTube channels get millions of followers. I could see the same thing happening to musicians that create good music. I see musicians partnering with animators and videographers for the next generation music videos that would get a lot of YouTube play. (Remember The Mind's Eye series?)

This post edited for speling.

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I like your optimism, Craig. :thu:

 

Well, I like my view of the future better than Boomy will take over the world, all streaming media will be clogged with an endless assortment of stuff no one wants to listen to other than the person who made it, pro songwriters will end up bagging groceries at Kroger, a law is passed outlawing lyrics where any word has more than two syllables.

 

I also have some ideas about why it's a good idea to outsource A&R to fans, but that's a whole other topic...

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I just like to get on stage in front of an audience, go to that place where there is no time or space, enjoy myself for a few hours while entertaining an audience, find quitting time coming all too soon, getting paid what I consider an OK wage, and going home worn out and happy.

 

Hopefully that will continue to be my future in music.

 

Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton

Owner, Norton Music http://www.nortonmusic.com

Style and Fake disks for Band-in-a-Box

The Sophisticats http://www.s-cats.com >^. .^< >^. .^<

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In Japan there have been several great TV shows that focus on music. Some of them led to "signature" models based on fictional artists:

 

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After the Monkees and Partridge Family, there have been a dearth of American TV shows about bands. I guess the closest thing we've had of late is Mozart In The Jungle, which was recently canceled by the Amazon brass. A well-written show about a band, with memorable characters might help ensure the bright future that Mr. Anderton envisions. Manufacturers could cash in the popularity of the show with signature model guitars and stuff too, which leads to instruments in more young hands and stuff.

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I look forward to a world where a central corporate conglomerate of beancounters no longer dictate what music the US will hear. There's a LOT of good music outside the US that isn't getting heard here.

 

I think we've already reached that space, I do a lot of listening on internet radio and YouTube for music outside of the US. But, as usual, it gets down to marketing. If people don't know Kassav exists, they're not going to listen to them, let alone know to search on the term.

 

At least in the days of corporate conglomerates you had labels like Windham Hill and Mango that vetted music in particular areas, and stuck to those areas. If you liked one Mango album, you were probably going to like the other ones. I guess the various streaming service algorithms will find more of what you want, but only if you're already in that space so it knows your interests.

 

Then again, it's interesting to see what "The Algorithm" decides is a good match for my "Maladie du Coeur" ("Sickness of the Heart") song. It brings up videos about cardiologists :)

 

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I used to like Putumayo label recordings. They treated me with songs from all over the world. I have over a dozen in my CD collection.

 

Always good production and tight performances.

 

Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton

Owner, Norton Music http://www.nortonmusic.com

Style and Fake disks for Band-in-a-Box

The Sophisticats http://www.s-cats.com >^. .^< >^. .^<

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i think music will always find a way to be pertinent. The numbers of people who listen to music on their phones would probably seem an outrageous one. I think you're spot on as far as where the tech is headed Craig.

I also think there will always be demand for guys like Notes. Guys that can bring to you live, make you dance and tap your feet.

I think free broadcast music radio is on life support though.I don't know about Pop stations. I don't listen to them. There's one classic rock station down here, part the iHeart conglomerate that just regurgitates the same crap 24/7.

For broadcast music I listen to the local Pacifica station. They play stuff you won't hear anywhere else and in several different genres.

I still haven't gone the Spotify or Apple radio or any other of that new stuff.

Then again I'm a dinosaur...

 

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i think music will always find a way to be pertinent. The numbers of people who listen to music on their phones would probably seem an outrageous one. I think you're spot on as far as where the tech is headed Craig.

I also think there will always be demand for guys like Notes. Guys that can bring to you live, make you dance and tap your feet.

 

The question is who will pay for them. A local sports bar/restaurant used to have live entertainment, but canned it because people stayed and listened; they wanted a fast turnover to serve more meals. I would think a bunch of people drinking would be pretty high margin and less hassle, but I know nothing about running a sports bar/restaurant.

 

I think free broadcast music radio is on life support though.I don't know about Pop stations. I don't listen to them.

 

Probably because there aren't any!

 

There's one classic rock station down here, part the iHeart conglomerate that just regurgitates the same crap 24/7.

For broadcast music I listen to the local Pacifica station. They play stuff you won't hear anywhere else and in several different genres.

 

Different genres?!? Oh my! What will they think of next :)

 

I still haven't gone the Spotify or Apple radio or any other of that new stuff.

Then again I'm a dinosaur...

 

Honestly I don't think you're missing much. I've tried to like Spotify, I really have, but I always end up exploring TuneIn instead, or just roaming around the internet looking for cool stuff.

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Instead of aspiring to sell a million records, musicians will aspire to Disney licensing their song for a movie.

 

The most money I've ever made in the music business has been when a company licenses one of my songs -or pay me to make their "jingle" under a license agreement- to promote a product OR even better, for a TV series or a movie. SO, this has been happening for the last 25 years.

Músico, Productor, Ingeniero, Tecnólogo

Senior Product Manager, América Latina y Caribe - PreSonus

at Fender Musical Instruments Company

 

Instagram: guslozada

Facebook: Lozada - Música y Tecnología

 

www.guslozada.com

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What's next? An implant which gives you access to all the books ever written , all the songs ever recorded, all the TV shows and films ever produced, and all the works of art ever painted/sculpted/drawn etc. In years to come we won't need bodies. We'll just be brains in a pickle jar. Ultimate consumers. Can't wait!
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What's next? An implant which gives you access to all the books ever written , all the songs ever recorded, all the TV shows and films ever produced, and all the works of art ever painted/sculpted/drawn etc.

 

In other words...something that plants the internet in your brain :) Just make sure it has the option to turn off the Comments section in YouTube.

 

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