And there's small bands like us, just trying to make good music for the sake of it ! Sadly, we might never make significant money with it, but somehow that's liberating : we can do whatever we want, experiment, be creative, and have fun in the process. We don't have to care about making something that NEEDS to make money.
that's why no one will listen to you, the art of songwriting is gone mediocrity in all forms of art is what we are left with, I feel sorry for gen Zeeeeee
@@theend9494 Perhaps. And it's sad. I don't think that bands like Queen, Pink Floyd or Metallica cared if people would like their songs or not. The result was bold and unique !
The same reason why movie script writers can't pen an original idea anymore.Not enough people are reading literature and are basing their concept of what makes a good movie, off of other movies.
Thank you Damian for another thoght provoking question. Being a songwriter I know that songwriting is not dead and will never die, but you are right in saying the whole system of delivery has changed which forces us, the songwriters and artist to adapt , and evolve in this new environment . It's not for the faint of heart.
Food for thought: Don't try to be in the 'top 40' in the mainstream world. Rather, write the type of music you want and learn how to market and promote, and build your own audience based on that. There's an audience for almost everyone. But it does take work outside of just being an artist. I'd also say don't rely on just streaming (obviously). Have your own physical CD (vinyl) and merch shop. It's not about going after the masses - it's more about building a small, but engaged audience.
I think it is the possible reality that top shelf songs with complex lyricism and key changes are buried under the filth that the algorithm feeds us. It's definitely a find and seek thing now. I've stumbled across great stuff from the underdogs.
How do you sift through the filth to discover new music? There is a lot to wade through! I often go through Spotify playlists fast. If any song is worth listening to for more than a minute it gets added to my own playlist- which I return to and repeat the process.
Here are the Basic Rules 1. Storyteller 2. Musician 3 Content creator/ entertainer 4. Videographer 5. Mixing Engineer / Producer/ Colorist/ Photographer/ Video Editor/ 6. Merchandising manager 7. Tour Manager 8. Merciless and ruthless when it comes to what you do 9. And a Fuck You Attitude If I am missing something let me know :)
Another point; friends who know how to frame and handle a camera without trembling. I got a lot of problem with that. I got ideas but I don't have many friends to operate. Oh, of course, money and time. Money 'cause you got to buy all this stuff that costs a lot and you also need the time to learn how to use new softwares, and stay aware of new releases, techniques, add ons, etc. etc.
Came into this video ready to write a rebuttal, but you I actually wholeheartedly agree with you! Even as someone who likes (certain) modern music and also admittedly consumes music in an adhd way, the lack of development across all areas is so transparent and is a big part of the reason why so many of these tiktok artists are here today and gone tomorrow. They have no foundation to stand on!
Great piece as ever. You’re right he majority may well be copying the trends and putting short term gains above their song writing but we’ve seen with songs like Ren’s “Hi Ren” that crafted, deep, emotive songs still have a place and can impact the this world. We’re not all as talented but it gives us hope.
Thought: If the majority of people want something specific, and everybody's using specific platforms to get that thing... doesn't that also mean that the competition to deliver that one particular thing is going to be a lot more intense as everybody does that thing in those places? Wouldn't it be better, easier, and more profitable to buck that very trend?
Good video. I’ve been asking something similar for the last year and let’s not forget that the music industry has always been difficult for all the artists that we never heard of. I don’t believe that most people know what they want. So the most important question as an artist is, how can we get ahead, create, manipulate or somehow control the market, like some artists has managed to shape the sound despite corporate rules as you also mentioned. Many of these artists are inspired by other artists so you can say they act on behalf of many. As a composer, songwriter I feel it’s our duty to fight, stand up for and not obey algorithms. In fact I’m surprised that no platforms like Amazon, Apple, TikTok, TH-cam, Spotify etc. are owned, run or managed by artists with the highest interest in helping other artists. I even had these talks with famous musicians, singers and entertainers that strangely enough despite their lyrics about freedom, fairness, love and peace, have told me that they don’t want to rock the boat.
todays music is the least diverse ever , so much for diversity, bedroom producers hacking out the same beats and boring chord progressions bought on line using useless girl songwriters to write to their boring beats, it used to be that people in their 40's would listen to new music , now not even my 30 year olds will listen to new music, because they know its poop
The takeaway we have after watching your many lessons here on TH-cam and in DK-MBA is that the "tough balance" you speak of at the end is really crucial. Even if you don't take "risks" in the songwriting per se, you can still make a great song, while maintaining an identity. And since you gotta maintain consistency you can still release your experimental songs. Once a loyal fanbase is there, all boundaries and limitations are lifted. So thank you Damian! Because we won't have this perspective without your lessons :)
Wow another great video. As a songwriter in the house.soulful house.funk ,gospel genres. one of the problems i see is we have lost music tribes. Years ago we had people who followed music who wore clothing ,had a clear id of who they were..The pubs,places met in person were critical to sharing music. The soulful house and northern soul scene is growing with younger people and artists released are followed long term. Music was the opener to many conversations and friendships,,,,because of a t shirt in a meeting place,then bands got formed. When I ask young people what music they like it is 9 out of ten..a bit of everything,but in reality the saturation is the killer. When you went crate digging years ago ,it was forms of conversation. Music for many of the public has always been of low value it is sad to say.When is see a sea of young people dressed the same it has worried me for music There will always be true people to certain music genres.If your a new writer focus on your tribe and grow. Build true artistry ,not follow trends. Quality and creme will always rise to the top.Our job as writers is to create the hook and be relatable ,Motown proved this and is still played today and will for time.Watch all of Damians videos because everyone is gold.
Good songwriting that stands the test of time and true artistry will always be the technological and cultural currency/pulse of the music industry. Short content can highlight good songs, but I think songwriters should be cautious of thinking “will this song do well on tiktok?” Because then your chasing outcomes and not what’s in your creative heart and mind.
Using your film analogy; amidst the Hollywood dross, we had Godzilla Minus One (the indie artist on a low budget) and EVERYONE was talking about it. All is not lost - new and relevant voices will emerge - but it'll be from someone doing something differently that we hadn't foreseen.
I feel like I share my position with you. I think there is a lot of great music out currently, but I also think our standards for what we consider to be "great" have dramatically decreased. I love that you brought up the homogenization of songwriting and I think it can honestly be applied to homogenization of music in general as well. Since we have had this new wave of pop punk artists, which I have a lot of opinions on, I've started seeing producers straight up selling cookie cutter pop punk instrumental tracks where you can get like four to five instrumentals for like $50. Which would sound like a great idea if you're mainly a vocalist, until you realize that anyone and everyone can also buy those exact same instrumentals. I mean it's basically asking for a large number of artists to essentially release the exact same song at the end of the day. I don't even think just songwriting has been homogenized, it's almost as if music as a whole is currently being squeezed to try to fit into one singular box where it does one thing and one thing only, but since it's so much more than just that one thing, it can't fit. I do believe that eventually it will bounce back and we'll see more artists start to experiment and take the time to actually get involved with the music themselves. As someone who is involved with more of the modern pop punk scene, it's always weird for me to play shows because I stick out like a sore thumb in the best way possible. I've played a show to four people and still sold merch specifically because my songs have stood out and impressed people. And every time I think about why that is, I always come to the same conclusion. I just take my time. I don't rush things. I don't try to flood people with music. When a song is done, it's done. There's no timeframe on when that is and I enjoy having that freedom because I've expanded so much of what I've been able to do and it has made me quicker in the decision making process. I think a lot of people want to skip over all of those steps and just be able to release songs that make them blow up quickly, but the downside is that they always lose all of their traction because they just start releasing the same song over and over again. All of the songs that people have pointed out to me as their favorites are songs I worked on for months, rewrote the lyrics or structure multiple times, etc. And I think in the end the constant want for instant gratification, the want for instant virality or fame has pushed people into compromising like you said in this video. They compromise every part of their music that makes them unique and stand out and is actually what's drawing people in, for the same cookie cutter stuff everyone else it putting out. I hear people ask a lot "why don't we have another DSOTM or The Wall?" or "why don't we have another Bohemian Rhapsody??" And the answer is simple. We don't let artists sit in the studio and create a song like that. We don't foster that creativity anymore because to most people "it takes too long." Going back to an earlier point, I do think that it will bounce back and start to foster that creativity again, but only after this homogenization reaches a point where new music is so derivative that it's pulling from songs released within the same decade. It's gonna take music essentially getting so uncreative for that pendulum to swing back to fostering unique artists and sounds. And the truth is, I think we are already heading down that path. Now that doesn't mean it'll happen anytime soon, but it also doesn't mean we should give up, because it eventually it will swing back around and the people who have sat and written song after song after song will have their time. It's always going to be an ebb and flow with music, you just have to know when you need to jump headfirst into it.
In our industry, we're always taking risks and choosing paths that align with our vision. Whether it's making music for commercial purposes or crafting pieces with deeper inspirational value, every decision we make reflects our commitment to creativity and authenticity. Embracing these choices allows us to connect with our audience in meaningful ways and continue pushing boundaries. Damian Thank you for being part of this journey with us. 🎶✨
Of course it's not dead and won't be. There has always been a schism between mainstream "haves" and underground "have nots". Occasionally, an underground artist blows up and brings the rest of the scene with them (ex. Nirvana/Grunge) and then exists Pop and "trend of the moment". But the underground is always there, always evolving in every genre. What will change is the influence of AI. It will become the pop/mainstream, accelerated by the Majors (who now have a stake in voice cloning tools) and people who value human artistry will fuel the underground. The Majors will flood the market with "passable" AI music to feed their greed for fat bonuses, paycheques, and shareholder returns. Underground artists will be plenty, extraordinarily diverse, and difficult to find among all the noise. It'll be harder than ever to make a living from music because the market is so saturated, unless you find your tribe of fans (anywhere on the globe), and nurture the fuck outta them. It's going to have to take patronage to a whole new level. And for the fans of underground music, it will be, as it always has been, an expression of passion and curiosity, propped up by the status of having "discovered" the new cool thing in your social circle (on or offline). And the beat goes on...
Music needs a vehicle. Same now as it ever was. The format is a huge piece as Damian points out, because it sets the expectation for the listener attention span. Targeting TikTok for your 3 sec hook into a chorus might get you cross play, but does it funnel eyes & ears toward your vision? Does the music do its job there too? For this reason I am weighing my options because these vehicles are each a ton of work to set up: game studio, film studio, physics educational channel. If I had to start one of these, and not others, there’s pain of regret there so inaction is a struggle. At age 37 I better get moving! Thanks for tickling my brain about it this morning!
This is why I like death metal, none of this shit matters. Bands can be as long or as complicated as they want. Tempo changes no problem. Key changes no problem. Long interludes no problem.
I feel like i write better songs then ever and the reason is i write for myself. I write idiot songs like 'AI Love', 'Stick It In' or 'Famous & Smarter Then You' simply because it makes me laugh. It might piss some people off, but that's just how it goes. Hopefully most will laugh tho! Before i wrote EDM and i think the reason i was only half-successful was because it wasn't genuine. I was only doing it to "get a job". I'd rather get compared to MJ and Bee Gees then the latest DJ that no one will care about in 30 years from now on.
I think you are observing the situation very well. In my opinion, there will always be artists who use the technology and the habits of their times to create something extra-ordinary - while most just fit the mold and meet the listeners on the level of their comsumption. It is perhaps more obvious today, because it is faster, but this dynamic is really really old and not just in music. Think of how Shakespeare wrote amidst the expectation of not much more than pleasure for the masses. And I'm not implying there is a Shakespeare hiding on TikTok, of course, but I am sure that in time, some of that short cortent music will be appreciated, rightly so, while most of it will be forgotten about (rightly so).
Thank you Damo for your precious insights and analysis. Yes you nailed it, the sweet spot should be between the understanding of the monétisation and making great art again, with core values, consistent messages and good foundations in songwriting.
An excellent perspective on songwriting. I am fascinated by the evolution of pop music and could talk about this stuff for hours (I probably bore my own kids about it when I do). I think we are in an exciting phase as far as pop music is concerned and I totally agree on this take. It will be interesting to see where it goes in another five years. I hate that there are no 'bands' in the (UK) charts at the moment, teenagers are not picking up a guitar and wanting to be in a band, like they were even in the MySpace/Emo days. Music is programmed, more than played. Not that it's a bad thing but the dynamics have changed.
Great thoughts. A few of my thoughts: In the music industry, we are in a position where everyone has access to every possible song they could ever want, and listen to it for free - the "product" has become so watered down that it's essentially just valueless elevator music to accompany us 24x7 - artistic drivers such as motivation, innovation, creativity and discovery are essentially abandoned for both the listener and the musician in enforcing conformity to formula. AI has the potential to take music in new directions, but commercial considerations and laziness will dictate that it will simply just "enhance" the status quo, to the point where the creators themselves can be replaced - it is a snake about to eat itself. My last thought is that the state of contemporary, mainstream music is the "canary in the cage" for the rest of western culture as we become more and more dependent on ever-evolving levels of technological sophistication. Again, AI could open up a whole new world of robots doing dirty and hazardous jobs, but I think commercial realities will say "think of all those white and blue collar workers in highly paid jobs we can replace with AI where we don't even need to physically build anything - let the cheap-labour immigrant workforce do the crappy jobs". Again, a snake about to eat itself shortly after it's born.
Has the world not just lost its ability to concentrate for a decent amount of time? People just scroll through 15 seconds videos and swiping up etc constantly. Music therefore doesn't need to be as good as it once was because people just skip after a few seconds.
All good points. I figure the biggest change in music occurred with the demise of terrestrial radio. It still exists but its importance disseminating, and influencing music is not the same. Our public broadcaster still has a few music programs on, introducing trends and different music but those are rare.
Absolutely excellent and insightful video, Damian! As an Independent Songwriter/Artist, I am dealing with and living in that world you so accurately described…and, like you, I am going to hope and pray that true, honest, and powerful songwriting, along with lyrical and musical creativity will make an EXPLOSIVE COMEBACK…soon🙏🏾❤️🎹
I love watching Rick’s videos! His deep dive in to songs is really cool to watch! The thing about the modern delivery system of music (algorithm) is that AI kind of shoves more of the same down your throat, and that’s what I find so limiting. I enjoy all sorts of genres of music, but because generally I vibe more towards the early 00’s era rock, that is what is thrown at me constantly on platforms like tiktok and instagram. On the flip-side, Spotify now has an AI DJ option which 90% of the time selects songs I’ve heard a million times, but also does try throwing tracks and artists I’ve never heard before. So that is kinda cool! But, I gotta admit, I do miss queuing up in my local record store to buy the latest album. Yes, I can still do that but it’s not the way that we have all been encouraged to consume music and sometimes you become a sheep without realising!! 🐑
Best current living songwriter : Kenzie. Check out her album she just dropped "Biting My Tongue". Music is great. Lyrics are great. No autotune. Songwriting - it's rare, but not dead.
Another great take and I agree, thanks Damian. What I’ve learned is that the balance is achieved today by not putting all your eggs into one basket, it’s just much easier and reliable to have both the short and long term success. It takes consistent dedication but totally achievable.
Dude! You're kinda like a sage and stuff... Awesome, and as others have said, thought provoking video, thanks for your continued content creation, it is a valuable service that you consistently provide. If I ever get myself together, I'll likely sign up for your University.
Isnt it sad that product marketing is forcing musicians to write music that conforms to social media. Music is not a product. Its an art....made by ART-ists. We've lost that. Its sad. Thanks for a thought provoking video again. I think great songs are out there. You just have to look for it and not expect Tik Tok or Spotify to instantly tell you where it is
And another compounding problem to everything you say: as music-making loses its dynamism, listener music literacy loses its dynamism, listener ability to discern complex, good songwriting diminishes. Those of us who grew up in the 70s, even if we weren’t musicians, our ears developed a sophistication through the great songwriters of that time. When you turned on the radio and routinely listened to song craft by the likes of highly skilled singer musicians such as Elton John, Beatles, Cat Stevens, Carole King, Randy Newman, and neo-classical forms like prog-rock, you gained a sophistication as a listener; you got really interested in the music and wanted to know and hear more. That symbiotic relationship between musician and consumer is a necessary relationship. When the sophistication diminishes, it does so on both sides of the symbiosis. Given the changing industry landscape, lack of A&R, technology and AI, I can’t see the great songwriting of yore ever surviving into the future. Your analogy of the music consumer (and creator) as quickie fast food vs gourmet Michelin cuisine is apt and quite right.
First of all one thought. Pink Moon by Nick Drake - 2:04 minutes long, Yesterday: 2:06, Norwegian Wood 2:05, Blackbird: 2:18. Tear that facists down - woody guthrie: 2:09, bob dylan: Knockin on heavens door: 2:29, Pop Music was already at that "short form" so maybe we are just going back to that format :) - in a live concert you probably make 5 min. songs out of it anyway. So, the question is, when wil the first major artis release a playlist or album or how you wanna call it today with 0nly 1min. songs and advertisment in between :) The next paradigm shift is already happening with AI. Musicians, Artists and Songwriteres are already replaced by AI. My hope, and this is why i love making music is, that live music won't be replaced by AI. 10 songwriters who write "Wet a.. puss.." will be out of buisiness for sure, but hand made music was never dead, actually it exists for hundertes of hundrets of years and I think it will continue. Not all will be able to make a living off from it but was this the idea in the first place? I don't think so. At least all people I know started to make music becasue they got something from it and out of it and want to share that with the world.
Absolutely, the trouble is people are more homogenous and boring these days and yet at the same time more polarised. I think this is part of the great filter and fall of civilisation 😂😳😢😵
There are exceptions, but you are right. Our target niche is not the McDonald's crowd, so we write for the small pockets of fans who (similarly to us) are tired of the fast-food music. Another hit by Sandburg(Martin)..no thanks. When one of his songs release (through Swift, Perry, etc) it's like society files in for its programmed excited response to a re-release of the McRib by McDonald's. Be it metaphoric of hoofs+snouts+ bbq sauce or soylent green, the herd mentality algo is absolutely dialed in for, quite honestly, a culture that some of us don't wish to live in. So, when we see it musically, we counter it. +1 for acknowledgement of Dream Theater.
I think song writing is not dead ; it just takes a lot longer to find quality music , as you say due to the way the whole system works. I usually branch out to the off-main-stream channels/djs when looking for something to listen to and get inspired/excited by.
I took the summer off to work on a book. I feel at least on Amazon I don’t have to give away the book. Who knows if I’ll be successful, but it’s worth a try.
I'm nearing in on a year. I have made two Instagram stories every month. I have made a You Tube video every month. I have released 10 new original songs on Spotify this year. These songs are all around three minutes. Wow! what engagement I have had. I'm one of the 60 thousand released everyday. There is to much. There has always been to much to listen to. 800 million records sold worldwide. 8 billion CDs. How much music do you own? What has made a difference to your life? 1. Enjoy creating what you like. 2.Listen to what you like. 3.Make it meaningful to you.
I started on SoundCloud about 3 months ago and after releasing 3 songs.. I'm working on a 6 song EP. I'm doing it because I love creating and singing. I'm noticing whenever I start thinking about promoting, I get overwhelmed. A lot of people are more focused on creating gimmicks to promote themselve but the music and art is not good. I'm not like that, my focus is making sure the music is done well; being I'm a DIY recording artist
Training for sportives. Not going for an elite license and then trying to get scouted by a talent scout who signs you for a pro team. That's what music is now. Pros and aspiring pros but so so so many not really aspiring pros, all racing (releasing songs). It's not all bad. In fact, arguably better. All of the problems are on the elite side of the sport. It's not very elite. It's so disposable stuff, up there as well, most of it.
AURORA, Ren, Lawrence, Jacob Collier, and many less known artists refute this claim. Sentimental pap has always outsold (with a few exceptions like the Beatles) quality writing in every genre. Songwriting Lives!
Current generations are always considered the laziest as things get easier with tech, but we seem to have hit a plateau in terms of dumbed down music. But, paradoxically more effort is required as the market is more saturated now than ever. Videos must accompany tracks , so content makers must be , musicians, producers, graphic designers and publicists or at least they best pay for those services which in turn, reduces their profit. Making matters worse is todays generation listens to their music on headphones usually, so they are missing the low and low mid range, so making a traditional rock song sound good on those is hard, because it lacks power on that format and the truth is THEY dont care about fancy chord tones, because they didnt grow up in the 50s and discover the Beatles beautiful chord sequences in their teens, they dont have the raunchiness of the Stones , or Elvis's hip thrusts to behold in contrast to a background of sedate country music and 50 piece big band music. In short, its ALL there for them to enjoy already, its been done, so what they look for is trending sensationalism, not so much the song writing. Good songs do still resonate, but its got to be the right time and place for it.
Currently at a 3 day music industry conference/showcase and yeah, you've nailed it. I've seen about 20ish bands in the last 2 days and with maybe 2 or 3 exceptions, it all feels VERY safe. Its not bad music or songwriting at all, its just not pushing anywhere, its like the Gretta Van Fleet formula, they are a great band, but they are still just flat out copying Led Zep. The bigger crowds and the most passionate crowds have been at the bands/artists that are pushing their own niche though, with out a doubt.
Very good points as always! The only problem if you follow this “McDonald’s” approach is that you won’t get as many music masterpieces as you used to with songs such as Thriller, etc… And what about when AI takes over?? 🤔
Love your content. Always enlightening. Personally, I want Spotify to serve up the surprises. I’m sick of the cookie cutter crap! My songs haven’t decreased in length. Screw em, I’m bringing back the guitar solo 😂🤟🤟
I used to were fisherman. Somewhere around 2000-2007. I went into sea for 5 months. When I left there were couple songs on a radio, they say "new" (I am talking about specific radio). When I get back from the sea 5 months after, same songs were on radio as "new". You think something changed since? Nope. They spinning same songs for almost a year. Over and over. 100 000? But only few get exposure
Most of the top 100 songs involve between 5 to 12 songwriters and highly skilled professionals throughout the entire production process. The remainder are, to a large extent, akin to the tape trading practices of the 1970s and 80s-though without the associated charm. This is because the products are presented as something they are not: professional. Moreover, the artists fail to recognize this due to their lack of expertise as professional producers, audio engineers, record label operators, and marketing specialists.
While technological parameters have always helped define music, I reject any kind of equivocation people (not Damien) make that resists value judgements about which forms of consumption are more desirable to us as a society. That is, just because the technology of the day has always promoted how we consume music, it doesn't mean that we can never reach a point where we put our foot down and collectively say, "No - this is TOO homogenized, too lowest common denominator, too attention-deficit inducing, too damaging to creativity and the artist." Of course, this doesn't mean that everything was always great in the past or that we should reject the reality of our scenario or never modify our approach to music making. It just means that we don't have to affirm our current methods of music production, delivery and consumption as just another model we should all eagerly embrace. We can still make value judgements and seek to actively dismantle (or, at the very least criticize or mollify) the systems which are damaging us. It may be a Quixotic quest, but arguably one of the most important ones we as artists - and as a culture - will ever take.
Songwriting is very much alive. My daughter is a fantastic songwriter. But there are obstacles. It costs money to get her songs recorded and then they have to sound like she wants them to. And then it is very difficult to actually get people to hear them. That itself costs a lot of money. A major artist can release something and get a million streams in a day. Don't know the exact numbers, but I read Billie Eilish released one song and it made her about $6m. The record companies are not doing enough to get talented new artists heard and obviously most of them are devious bastards.
The best artists today will combine the talent and the artistry with the attention spans of the people of today, making some songs that are short to attract the masses and drawing them into your masterpieces
I feel like guitar driven bands should have their own app • instead Spotify • make it differentiate a little bit • bc a bunch shit just rap hip hop / big popular artist • the app needs to feel different
Your view that 'songwriters write to hack the social medium algorithms' makes a lot of sense. There would be nothing wrong with it if it were the only venue for music, but isn't there an audience for live music? I can't imagine wanting to sit for 2 hours to hear a couple dozen quick songs that all sound same-ish. Coincidentally, there's a new movie, Trapped, that describes what that might be like.
You know what? I’m going to make music that is important to me, with every single second of it crafted to as much excellence I can squeeze out of it. I will research how to master the music so it can compete with everything else in the market. Then I’m going to propagate it and promote it as much as I can in the digital sphere by making countless 15 second Tik Tok videos guiding people to my Spotify page, advance promote singles every few weeks to every blog and magazine that reviews this kind of music and include imaginative covers of historical songs that will fill up people’s search boxes. I will package incentives to super fans and engage with them as much as humanly possible. I will conceal my identity so people can’t realize I’m just some schmuck sitting in a garage with Logic Pro and a bunch of awesome plug-ins. And if I don’t get one SINGLE fvcking play or sale, at least I know I gave this music everything I had, and can go to my grave knowing I did my best.
There's not much in contemporary culture that encourages and rewards close attention. Albums are less important than they were, and whereas artists used to lay themselves bare over the course of 10 or more carefully crafted, thematically consistent and meticulously ordered songs, they at least had reassurance of knowinng that their audience would listen to it in its entirety, and as they intended it. While album artists still exist, in our increasingly atomized society, they no longer have the cultural significance that they once did.
Not for me😂 i’m old so i still care about songwriting. I still fall victim to the add nature of social media like anyone else, but i like that we don’t have to follow formulaic shit, we wont get as much interaction but maybe we will. But if we do our own thing we can keep the art alive.🤘 great vid.
Trickle-down stupidity has wormed its way into almost every facet of our current cultural, political and entertainment dynamic. People aren't getting challenged and are not oriented towards that disposition. In the 60's, you might have had the Beatles, Monkees, Byrds, but then it evolved with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Procol Harum, the Dead...then along came Queen, Steely Dan, prog-rock like Yes and Genesis, and each incarnation was more multiplexed, arguably even more interesting. Listeners had to up their game just to keep pace with what was happening around them artistically. This came to an abrupt end with disco and continued in part with MTV -- though I love some of that early 80's stuff, it's just generally not complex nor very musically sophisticated. In the early to mid-90's did we see a resurgence that emphasized songwriting and performance (Soundgarden, Perl Jam, Nirvana, Radiohead, Wilco to name a few). But today listeners, en masse, aren't going to be able to digest an Elliot Smith, for example, and barely a Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, or Father John Misty. We've just gotten kinda collectively dumb. Aight, bye, I gotta go listen to Douja Cat and DaBaby cuz dey cap for real, no gap ngl.
They way I see it, songwriting is ultimately attached to the emotions people feel when they hear the song. Secondly it is attached to the band and musicians who write, release and play it. These two things can not be replaced by any technical development. I think it is safest to focus on these two things, write and released moving music, then go on tour to connect with the audience and make a bit of money. If you can do that, then you will be safe'ish, no matter what technical development happens on the music market in the future. Right? 🤘😎🖤🎵🎶
I’m not that young anymore. I can’t write the kind of ’music’ that appeals to, or cracks algorithms. I can only write what I know and enjoy. I gets drowned out in all the noise, but it’s mine.
I'm still young enough to be a "tik toker" and I feel such a disconnect with this notion that people find and consume music and artists through the scope of such surface level/instant gratification interaction as these studies suggest. I would even go so far as to say these types of listeners aren't real music lovers. They love novelty as long as it's replaced every 30 seconds or if it's supported by social validation. It's not how I've ever assigned value or meaning to music so I just don't get it and therefore struggle to play the game since it's not even how I myself interact with music and artistry. Anyways, at least artists like Porter Robinson are still experimenting, making 4+ minute songs and being awesome. Fuck the majority lol
Writing is personal - that said, you can make whatever you want. You CAN be informed on what to make if you let them control you... I'm personally not really interested in using streaming services... Perhaps we need to focus less on distribution and more on raising the quality/niche over and over. If you're good, people will notice. If you're doing something special, you'll know. Ultimately, the artist is a salesperson. Maybe we should stop trying to rely on 3rd parties to sell ourselves... Offer your own products - or partner with a print on demand service. 👉 I have my own plans... But who knows... Im planning to focus on live performances, recording songs but using them less for streaming and more for advertisements of the song. I want people to hear an addictive song and NOT be able to find it at first. COME TO THE SHOW. Order a CD. My opinion: I'm not going to stream my music until its something people want to stream - to play live is where its at. I feel like streaming music is really great for nostalgia - but not new artists.
I almost wish I could write to please the algorithms but usually there only seems to be one right answer to what should come next & each track ends when it naturally wants to.
Songwriting isn't dead. Music isn't dead. Music is the best it's ever been. There are so many songs available within seconds that you can easily find incredible bands if you want. The top tracks might be naff, but they have always been naff, bar a few. When people say there's no good music, games or films, it just tells me that they are bad at looking.
What impact would it have if TikTok gets banned? This is not hypothetical, every now and then the discussion heats up in the USA and Europe. Some research says it destroys kids attention span etc. And some even argue it's some Chinese Psychological warfare. (In China, kids get content that makes them smarter and in western countries the algorithm dumbs them down.) When this gets more and more apparent, countries will start to ban TikTok. So I wonder what the impact on music promotion will be, and how to best prepare us for some (new) alternatives.
If the artist doesn't spend their free time consuming tickok then they shouldn't make music specifically for ticktock . They should make it and promote it for somebody like them because if they exist then so do millions lf other people. If you make your art for tiktok you have already lost me and people like me as a fan because it doesn't interest me in anyway . Artists shouldn't over think it . Make music you love about emotions you have experience and promote in places that you yourself consume. There are millions of music fans who feel the same way as you who are waiting for somebody to articulate how they feel to the world so they don't feel alone . Dont calculate or compromise your music and art to try and deliver to a consumer what you think they want . Its genuinely pointless. Your not making toothpaste
Hard to get ABACAB, ie good song math into 30 seconds...in fact impossible. Short dopamine zings are not good for the mind either...hope things return to something healthy...imagine losing The Beatles genius to 30 second snippets.
There’s going to be a tipping point eventually when people wake up to the fact that there’s not much that’s meaningful in our idea of “culture” right now. When everyone’s songs sound like AI, and AI is being fed the same non-interesting chord progressions and lyrics in a circular manner, and then suddenly someone wakes up one day and realizes that “there’s more to life than this”. This is really a problem of people not having a foundation of music education to draw upon. When anyone can write a song without much musical training, you’re going to get an uninformed listening audience consuming uninformed content creators. I’d venture to guess that there’s a certain amount of people that are tuning out from social media because of this trend. It’s just uninteresting, unimaginative, and unsatisfying. In a similar manner to how the world thrived on junk food during the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, the same nutritionless information is being fed to our intellects today. Eventually there was a green revolution when people analyzed what was going on. We’ll get the same turning point but not everyone will be willing or able to consume it. There will be a swath of people who will be indoctrinated in this lifestyle for good, I’m afraid.
Still an 11 and a bit video that I watched all the way through though, some of us still have attention spans. Loved the second half of this video so much, artistry and subjectivity rule 🤘
F' it man - we're amateurs creating our own real music and playing it live - we get great feedback on our songs from real people and frankly have no desire to be on ANY streaming platforms, but we will be because that's just "what you do" as a musician these days - even so, we've let go of "succeeding online" or "getting signed" and decided to just focus on our music - what a concept...
The top grossing movies of 2023 weren’t what you said… it was Barbie, Super Marios Bros, Spiderman Across the Spiderverse, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and Oppenheimer. 3/5 were not superhero films, and the superhero films included were ones that seemed to have heart and soul compared to all the others released that same year (Antman, The Marvels, The Flash, etc). There actually has been a big backlash to things that seem formulaic and cookie cutter and soulless, despite your assertion that ppl want the mcdonalds assembly line, ppl want value and quality, but they want it in novel ways that they haven’t seen before (even if it’s something familiar like a trending audio or a nostalgic toy brand), so the really successful creatives these days have to find a new format, execute their vision and stick with it long enough to break through the mold. It’s not about instant gratification, it’s about who can tell their story the best, and whether that story is human enough at its core to resonate with others.
Songwrting died a long time ago. When Record labels understood how to manipulate their market. They manipulated it from a reasonably intelligent vibrant knowledgable culturally mature, discerning demographic to know nothing pre-pubescent kids. No longer having to satisfy any kind of critical faculty they could sell whatever crap they liked, so long as they churned the mill. Now anyone with even a small amount of musical education will reject all of this crap. Hence, we now have preventive strategies in place to stop anyone learning about music. To hell with them, to hell with them all.
I’m still going to write the most crafted songs I can, and if that means I have 8 followers, so be it. 🤷🏻♂️🙏😎
Me too. I wish I could make a living out of it but…oh well 🤷🏻♂️
@@LovelyPrettyBones yes.. promote you music with it? 😂
bravo
Same
Good attitude. I'll do the same, but with half your followers. 🤣
Not even just that Ghost Writing took over and mid music is being promoted, but when you call it out you get hated instead
Sometimes ghost writing is alright I think, depends on the lyrics tho
And there's small bands like us, just trying to make good music for the sake of it !
Sadly, we might never make significant money with it, but somehow that's liberating : we can do whatever we want, experiment, be creative, and have fun in the process. We don't have to care about making something that NEEDS to make money.
that's why no one will listen to you, the art of songwriting is gone mediocrity in all forms of art is what we are left with, I feel sorry for gen Zeeeeee
@@theend9494 Perhaps. And it's sad. I don't think that bands like Queen, Pink Floyd or Metallica cared if people would like their songs or not. The result was bold and unique !
@@theend9494Do you feel sorry for a copy of Adobe Photoshop
The same reason why movie script writers can't pen an original idea anymore.Not enough people are reading literature and are basing their concept of what makes a good movie, off of other movies.
Thank you Damian for another thoght provoking question. Being a songwriter I know that songwriting is not dead and will never die, but you are right in saying the whole system of delivery has changed which forces us, the songwriters and artist to adapt , and evolve in this new environment . It's not for the faint of heart.
Food for thought: Don't try to be in the 'top 40' in the mainstream world. Rather, write the type of music you want and learn how to market and promote, and build your own audience based on that. There's an audience for almost everyone. But it does take work outside of just being an artist.
I'd also say don't rely on just streaming (obviously). Have your own physical CD (vinyl) and merch shop. It's not about going after the masses - it's more about building a small, but engaged audience.
Yes, ❤
I think it is the possible reality that top shelf songs with complex lyricism and key changes are buried under the filth that the algorithm feeds us. It's definitely a find and seek thing now. I've stumbled across great stuff from the underdogs.
How do you sift through the filth to discover new music?
There is a lot to wade through!
I often go through Spotify playlists fast. If any song is worth listening to for more than a minute it gets added to my own playlist- which I return to and repeat the process.
Here are the Basic Rules
1. Storyteller
2. Musician
3 Content creator/ entertainer
4. Videographer
5. Mixing Engineer / Producer/ Colorist/ Photographer/ Video Editor/
6. Merchandising manager
7. Tour Manager
8. Merciless and ruthless when it comes to what you do
9. And a Fuck You Attitude
If I am missing something let me know :)
Number 8 isn't needed. Thats just another way to say be an arsehole.Being an arsehole gets you nothing.
Another point; friends who know how to frame and handle a camera without trembling. I got a lot of problem with that. I got ideas but I don't have many friends to operate.
Oh, of course, money and time. Money 'cause you got to buy all this stuff that costs a lot and you also need the time to learn how to use new softwares, and stay aware of new releases, techniques, add ons, etc. etc.
Stylist (clothing), makeup artist, choreographer, hair stylist
Dont forget attractive looking
I’d say musician is at the bottom of the list
Came into this video ready to write a rebuttal, but you I actually wholeheartedly agree with you! Even as someone who likes (certain) modern music and also admittedly consumes music in an adhd way, the lack of development across all areas is so transparent and is a big part of the reason why so many of these tiktok artists are here today and gone tomorrow. They have no foundation to stand on!
Great piece as ever. You’re right he majority may well be copying the trends and putting short term gains above their song writing but we’ve seen with songs like Ren’s “Hi Ren” that crafted, deep, emotive songs still have a place and can impact the this world. We’re not all as talented but it gives us hope.
Thought: If the majority of people want something specific, and everybody's using specific platforms to get that thing... doesn't that also mean that the competition to deliver that one particular thing is going to be a lot more intense as everybody does that thing in those places? Wouldn't it be better, easier, and more profitable to buck that very trend?
Hey Lynn, what do you have in mind ?
We just live in a brain dead world now. The art in everything sucks. Everything is trying to be the same as everything else.
Good video. I’ve been asking something similar for the last year and let’s not forget that the music industry has always been difficult for all the artists that we never heard of. I don’t believe that most people know what they want. So the most important question as an artist is, how can we get ahead, create, manipulate or somehow control the market, like some artists has managed to shape the sound despite corporate rules as you also mentioned. Many of these artists are inspired by other artists so you can say they act on behalf of many. As a composer, songwriter I feel it’s our duty to fight, stand up for and not obey algorithms. In fact I’m surprised that no platforms like Amazon, Apple, TikTok, TH-cam, Spotify etc. are owned, run or managed by artists with the highest interest in helping other artists. I even had these talks with famous musicians, singers and entertainers that strangely enough despite their lyrics about freedom, fairness, love and peace, have told me that they don’t want to rock the boat.
todays music is the least diverse ever , so much for diversity, bedroom producers hacking out the same beats and boring chord progressions bought on line using useless girl songwriters to write to their boring beats, it used to be that people in their 40's would listen to new music , now not even my 30 year olds will listen to new music, because they know its poop
The takeaway we have after watching your many lessons here on TH-cam and in DK-MBA is that the "tough balance" you speak of at the end is really crucial. Even if you don't take "risks" in the songwriting per se, you can still make a great song, while maintaining an identity. And since you gotta maintain consistency you can still release your experimental songs. Once a loyal fanbase is there, all boundaries and limitations are lifted.
So thank you Damian! Because we won't have this perspective without your lessons :)
Wow another great video. As a songwriter in the house.soulful house.funk ,gospel genres. one of the problems i see is we have lost music tribes. Years ago we had people who followed music who wore clothing ,had a clear id of who they were..The pubs,places met in person were critical to sharing music. The soulful house and northern soul scene is growing with younger people and artists released are followed long term. Music was the opener to many conversations and friendships,,,,because of a t shirt in a meeting place,then bands got formed. When I ask young people what music they like it is 9 out of ten..a bit of everything,but in reality the saturation is the killer. When you went crate digging years ago ,it was forms of conversation. Music for many of the public has always been of low value it is sad to say.When is see a sea of young people dressed the same it has worried me for music There will always be true people to certain music genres.If your a new writer focus on your tribe and grow. Build true artistry ,not follow trends. Quality and creme will always rise to the top.Our job as writers is to create the hook and be relatable ,Motown proved this and is still played today and will for time.Watch all of Damians videos because everyone is gold.
Well said Damian there’s always hope things might change something new 😊 May stand out & that’s what gives me the drive to carry on songwriting 😊
Good songwriting that stands the test of time and true artistry will always be the technological and cultural currency/pulse of the music industry.
Short content can highlight good songs, but I think songwriters should be cautious of thinking “will this song do well on tiktok?” Because then your chasing outcomes and not what’s in your creative heart and mind.
I take comfort in the fact that I wrote and performed all of my originals
Using your film analogy; amidst the Hollywood dross, we had Godzilla Minus One (the indie artist on a low budget) and EVERYONE was talking about it. All is not lost - new and relevant voices will emerge - but it'll be from someone doing something differently that we hadn't foreseen.
Thank you mate! This video got me a new idea that may work specifically for me and my musical procrastination 😊
Great video, as always. I decided long ago to only compose classical music. Exactly because of what you discribe.
I feel like I share my position with you. I think there is a lot of great music out currently, but I also think our standards for what we consider to be "great" have dramatically decreased. I love that you brought up the homogenization of songwriting and I think it can honestly be applied to homogenization of music in general as well. Since we have had this new wave of pop punk artists, which I have a lot of opinions on, I've started seeing producers straight up selling cookie cutter pop punk instrumental tracks where you can get like four to five instrumentals for like $50. Which would sound like a great idea if you're mainly a vocalist, until you realize that anyone and everyone can also buy those exact same instrumentals. I mean it's basically asking for a large number of artists to essentially release the exact same song at the end of the day. I don't even think just songwriting has been homogenized, it's almost as if music as a whole is currently being squeezed to try to fit into one singular box where it does one thing and one thing only, but since it's so much more than just that one thing, it can't fit. I do believe that eventually it will bounce back and we'll see more artists start to experiment and take the time to actually get involved with the music themselves. As someone who is involved with more of the modern pop punk scene, it's always weird for me to play shows because I stick out like a sore thumb in the best way possible. I've played a show to four people and still sold merch specifically because my songs have stood out and impressed people. And every time I think about why that is, I always come to the same conclusion. I just take my time. I don't rush things. I don't try to flood people with music. When a song is done, it's done. There's no timeframe on when that is and I enjoy having that freedom because I've expanded so much of what I've been able to do and it has made me quicker in the decision making process. I think a lot of people want to skip over all of those steps and just be able to release songs that make them blow up quickly, but the downside is that they always lose all of their traction because they just start releasing the same song over and over again. All of the songs that people have pointed out to me as their favorites are songs I worked on for months, rewrote the lyrics or structure multiple times, etc. And I think in the end the constant want for instant gratification, the want for instant virality or fame has pushed people into compromising like you said in this video. They compromise every part of their music that makes them unique and stand out and is actually what's drawing people in, for the same cookie cutter stuff everyone else it putting out. I hear people ask a lot "why don't we have another DSOTM or The Wall?" or "why don't we have another Bohemian Rhapsody??" And the answer is simple. We don't let artists sit in the studio and create a song like that. We don't foster that creativity anymore because to most people "it takes too long." Going back to an earlier point, I do think that it will bounce back and start to foster that creativity again, but only after this homogenization reaches a point where new music is so derivative that it's pulling from songs released within the same decade. It's gonna take music essentially getting so uncreative for that pendulum to swing back to fostering unique artists and sounds. And the truth is, I think we are already heading down that path. Now that doesn't mean it'll happen anytime soon, but it also doesn't mean we should give up, because it eventually it will swing back around and the people who have sat and written song after song after song will have their time. It's always going to be an ebb and flow with music, you just have to know when you need to jump headfirst into it.
In our industry, we're always taking risks and choosing paths that align with our vision. Whether it's making music for commercial purposes or crafting pieces with deeper inspirational value, every decision we make reflects our commitment to creativity and authenticity.
Embracing these choices allows us to connect with our audience in meaningful ways and continue pushing boundaries. Damian Thank you for being part of this journey with us. 🎶✨
Of course it's not dead and won't be. There has always been a schism between mainstream "haves" and underground "have nots". Occasionally, an underground artist blows up and brings the rest of the scene with them (ex. Nirvana/Grunge) and then exists Pop and "trend of the moment". But the underground is always there, always evolving in every genre. What will change is the influence of AI. It will become the pop/mainstream, accelerated by the Majors (who now have a stake in voice cloning tools) and people who value human artistry will fuel the underground. The Majors will flood the market with "passable" AI music to feed their greed for fat bonuses, paycheques, and shareholder returns. Underground artists will be plenty, extraordinarily diverse, and difficult to find among all the noise. It'll be harder than ever to make a living from music because the market is so saturated, unless you find your tribe of fans (anywhere on the globe), and nurture the fuck outta them. It's going to have to take patronage to a whole new level. And for the fans of underground music, it will be, as it always has been, an expression of passion and curiosity, propped up by the status of having "discovered" the new cool thing in your social circle (on or offline). And the beat goes on...
Writing for the algorithm vs writing for the song sounds like a great way to suck all the joy out of it
Facts
Music needs a vehicle. Same now as it ever was. The format is a huge piece as Damian points out, because it sets the expectation for the listener attention span. Targeting TikTok for your 3 sec hook into a chorus might get you cross play, but does it funnel eyes & ears toward your vision? Does the music do its job there too? For this reason I am weighing my options because these vehicles are each a ton of work to set up: game studio, film studio, physics educational channel. If I had to start one of these, and not others, there’s pain of regret there so inaction is a struggle. At age 37 I better get moving! Thanks for tickling my brain about it this morning!
Songwriting is far from dead. It’s an art form for some of us and not simply a “product” for commerce.
This is why I like death metal, none of this shit matters. Bands can be as long or as complicated as they want. Tempo changes no problem. Key changes no problem. Long interludes no problem.
Think I have to get into metal then. But it gives me nightmares 😂
@@Feirin332 there are so many subgenres and styles of metal you can find something you like
Social media culture ended music. Labels don’t A&r they let algorithm do it.
There’s plenty of good artists just have no platform
Well said 👏
I feel like i write better songs then ever and the reason is i write for myself. I write idiot songs like 'AI Love', 'Stick It In' or 'Famous & Smarter Then You' simply because it makes me laugh. It might piss some people off, but that's just how it goes. Hopefully most will laugh tho! Before i wrote EDM and i think the reason i was only half-successful was because it wasn't genuine. I was only doing it to "get a job". I'd rather get compared to MJ and Bee Gees then the latest DJ that no one will care about in 30 years from now on.
I think you are observing the situation very well. In my opinion, there will always be artists who use the technology and the habits of their times to create something extra-ordinary - while most just fit the mold and meet the listeners on the level of their comsumption. It is perhaps more obvious today, because it is faster, but this dynamic is really really old and not just in music. Think of how Shakespeare wrote amidst the expectation of not much more than pleasure for the masses.
And I'm not implying there is a Shakespeare hiding on TikTok, of course, but I am sure that in time, some of that short cortent music will be appreciated, rightly so, while most of it will be forgotten about (rightly so).
Thank you Damo for your precious insights and analysis. Yes you nailed it, the sweet spot should be between the understanding of the monétisation and making great art again, with core values, consistent messages and good foundations in songwriting.
An excellent perspective on songwriting. I am fascinated by the evolution of pop music and could talk about this stuff for hours (I probably bore my own kids about it when I do). I think we are in an exciting phase as far as pop music is concerned and I totally agree on this take. It will be interesting to see where it goes in another five years. I hate that there are no 'bands' in the (UK) charts at the moment, teenagers are not picking up a guitar and wanting to be in a band, like they were even in the MySpace/Emo days. Music is programmed, more than played. Not that it's a bad thing but the dynamics have changed.
Great thoughts. A few of my thoughts: In the music industry, we are in a position where everyone has access to every possible song they could ever want, and listen to it for free - the "product" has become so watered down that it's essentially just valueless elevator music to accompany us 24x7 - artistic drivers such as motivation, innovation, creativity and discovery are essentially abandoned for both the listener and the musician in enforcing conformity to formula. AI has the potential to take music in new directions, but commercial considerations and laziness will dictate that it will simply just "enhance" the status quo, to the point where the creators themselves can be replaced - it is a snake about to eat itself. My last thought is that the state of contemporary, mainstream music is the "canary in the cage" for the rest of western culture as we become more and more dependent on ever-evolving levels of technological sophistication. Again, AI could open up a whole new world of robots doing dirty and hazardous jobs, but I think commercial realities will say "think of all those white and blue collar workers in highly paid jobs we can replace with AI where we don't even need to physically build anything - let the cheap-labour immigrant workforce do the crappy jobs". Again, a snake about to eat itself shortly after it's born.
Damn! That sucks that it's dead. I was just about to write another new one, but i guess I can't anymore 😂 Thanks for the heads up Damo
Has the world not just lost its ability to concentrate for a decent amount of time? People just scroll through 15 seconds videos and swiping up etc constantly. Music therefore doesn't need to be as good as it once was because people just skip after a few seconds.
Hi thanks for the videos, I’ve watched quite a few over the years but haven’t commented before, love the work!
Iove this insightful video!! Smart man
All good points. I figure the biggest change in music occurred with the demise of terrestrial radio. It still exists but its importance disseminating, and influencing music is not the same.
Our public broadcaster still has a few music programs on, introducing trends and different music but those are rare.
Absolutely excellent and insightful video, Damian! As an Independent Songwriter/Artist, I am dealing with and living in that world you so accurately described…and, like you, I am going to hope and pray that true, honest, and powerful songwriting, along with lyrical and musical creativity will make an EXPLOSIVE COMEBACK…soon🙏🏾❤️🎹
Good luck youll need it
Songwriting Is Dead: then I heared recently "symptom of life" and I told myself: hey! the kids have funky soul ;-)
I love watching Rick’s videos! His deep dive in to songs is really cool to watch! The thing about the modern delivery system of music (algorithm) is that AI kind of shoves more of the same down your throat, and that’s what I find so limiting. I enjoy all sorts of genres of music, but because generally I vibe more towards the early 00’s era rock, that is what is thrown at me constantly on platforms like tiktok and instagram. On the flip-side, Spotify now has an AI DJ option which 90% of the time selects songs I’ve heard a million times, but also does try throwing tracks and artists I’ve never heard before. So that is kinda cool! But, I gotta admit, I do miss queuing up in my local record store to buy the latest album. Yes, I can still do that but it’s not the way that we have all been encouraged to consume music and sometimes you become a sheep without realising!! 🐑
You just have to do it for the sake of doing it first. if art is too goal oriented...it loses its soul
Thanks you for your soulful approach Damian !
Best current living songwriter : Kenzie. Check out her album she just dropped "Biting My Tongue". Music is great. Lyrics are great. No autotune. Songwriting - it's rare, but not dead.
Another great take and I agree, thanks Damian. What I’ve learned is that the balance is achieved today by not putting all your eggs into one basket, it’s just much easier and reliable to have both the short and long term success. It takes consistent dedication but totally achievable.
Dude! You're kinda like a sage and stuff... Awesome, and as others have said, thought provoking video, thanks for your continued content creation, it is a valuable service that you consistently provide. If I ever get myself together, I'll likely sign up for your University.
You get it brotha! You truly understand all of this so well
Isnt it sad that product marketing is forcing musicians to write music that conforms to social media. Music is not a product. Its an art....made by ART-ists. We've lost that. Its sad. Thanks for a thought provoking video again. I think great songs are out there. You just have to look for it and not expect Tik Tok or Spotify to instantly tell you where it is
And another compounding problem to everything you say: as music-making loses its dynamism, listener music literacy loses its dynamism, listener ability to discern complex, good songwriting diminishes. Those of us who grew up in the 70s, even if we weren’t musicians, our ears developed a sophistication through the great songwriters of that time. When you turned on the radio and routinely listened to song craft by the likes of highly skilled singer musicians such as Elton John, Beatles, Cat Stevens, Carole King, Randy Newman, and neo-classical forms like prog-rock, you gained a sophistication as a listener; you got really interested in the music and wanted to know and hear more. That symbiotic relationship between musician and consumer is a necessary relationship. When the sophistication diminishes, it does so on both sides of the symbiosis. Given the changing industry landscape, lack of A&R, technology and AI, I can’t see the great songwriting of yore ever surviving into the future. Your analogy of the music consumer (and creator) as quickie fast food vs gourmet Michelin cuisine is apt and quite right.
First of all one thought. Pink Moon by Nick Drake - 2:04 minutes long, Yesterday: 2:06, Norwegian Wood 2:05, Blackbird: 2:18. Tear that facists down - woody guthrie: 2:09, bob dylan: Knockin on heavens door: 2:29, Pop Music was already at that "short form" so maybe we are just going back to that format :) - in a live concert you probably make 5 min. songs out of it anyway. So, the question is, when wil the first major artis release a playlist or album or how you wanna call it today with 0nly 1min. songs and advertisment in between :)
The next paradigm shift is already happening with AI. Musicians, Artists and Songwriteres are already replaced by AI. My hope, and this is why i love making music is, that live music won't be replaced by AI. 10 songwriters who write "Wet a.. puss.." will be out of buisiness for sure, but hand made music was never dead, actually it exists for hundertes of hundrets of years and I think it will continue. Not all will be able to make a living off from it but was this the idea in the first place? I don't think so. At least all people I know started to make music becasue they got something from it and out of it and want to share that with the world.
Absolutely, the trouble is people are more homogenous and boring these days and yet at the same time more polarised. I think this is part of the great filter and fall of civilisation 😂😳😢😵
Yes it will. I just performed my original songs to 1000’s at the weekend. My music is dynamic and catchy. The best gig of my entire life
and the name of your band / or you as an artist... is... ?
@@stereofidelic67 might be Steve Morano at a guess lol
@@stereofidelic67 thank you, it’s Steve Morano
@@jeremybean-hodges6397 guessed right! Cheers
There are exceptions, but you are right. Our target niche is not the McDonald's crowd, so we write for the small pockets of fans who (similarly to us) are tired of the fast-food music.
Another hit by Sandburg(Martin)..no thanks. When one of his songs release (through Swift, Perry, etc) it's like society files in for its programmed excited response to a re-release of the McRib by McDonald's. Be it metaphoric of hoofs+snouts+ bbq sauce or soylent green, the herd mentality algo is absolutely dialed in for, quite honestly, a culture that some of us don't wish to live in. So, when we see it musically, we counter it.
+1 for acknowledgement of Dream Theater.
I think song writing is not dead ; it just takes a lot longer to find quality music , as you say due to the way the whole system works. I usually branch out to the off-main-stream channels/djs when looking for something to listen to and get inspired/excited by.
I took the summer off to work on a book. I feel at least on Amazon I don’t have to give away the book. Who knows if I’ll be successful, but it’s worth a try.
Thank you for this video, i hope it will spark discussion with artists to gain ground in marketting their art.
I'm nearing in on a year. I have made two Instagram stories every month. I have made a You Tube video every month. I have released 10 new original songs on Spotify this year. These songs are all around three minutes. Wow! what engagement I have had. I'm one of the 60 thousand released everyday. There is to much. There has always been to much to listen to. 800 million records sold worldwide. 8 billion CDs. How much music do you own? What has made a difference to your life? 1. Enjoy creating what you like. 2.Listen to what you like. 3.Make it meaningful to you.
I heard Rick beato play a new Taylor swift song the other night and I'm thinking how in the world did that song go anywhere.
I started on SoundCloud about 3 months ago and after releasing 3 songs.. I'm working on a 6 song EP. I'm doing it because I love creating and singing. I'm noticing whenever I start thinking about promoting, I get overwhelmed. A lot of people are more focused on creating gimmicks to promote themselve but the music and art is not good. I'm not like that, my focus is making sure the music is done well; being I'm a DIY recording artist
Training for sportives. Not going for an elite license and then trying to get scouted by a talent scout who signs you for a pro team. That's what music is now. Pros and aspiring pros but so so so many not really aspiring pros, all racing (releasing songs). It's not all bad. In fact, arguably better. All of the problems are on the elite side of the sport. It's not very elite. It's so disposable stuff, up there as well, most of it.
AURORA, Ren, Lawrence, Jacob Collier, and many less known artists refute this claim. Sentimental pap has always outsold (with a few exceptions like the Beatles) quality writing in every genre. Songwriting Lives!
Current generations are always considered the laziest as things get easier with tech, but we seem to have hit a plateau in terms of dumbed down music. But, paradoxically more effort is required as the market is more saturated now than ever. Videos must accompany tracks , so content makers must be , musicians, producers, graphic designers and publicists or at least they best pay for those services which in turn, reduces their profit. Making matters worse is todays generation listens to their music on headphones usually, so they are missing the low and low mid range, so making a traditional rock song sound good on those is hard, because it lacks power on that format and the truth is THEY dont care about fancy chord tones, because they didnt grow up in the 50s and discover the Beatles beautiful chord sequences in their teens, they dont have the raunchiness of the Stones , or Elvis's hip thrusts to behold in contrast to a background of sedate country music and 50 piece big band music. In short, its ALL there for them to enjoy already, its been done, so what they look for is trending sensationalism, not so much the song writing. Good songs do still resonate, but its got to be the right time and place for it.
Currently at a 3 day music industry conference/showcase and yeah, you've nailed it. I've seen about 20ish bands in the last 2 days and with maybe 2 or 3 exceptions, it all feels VERY safe. Its not bad music or songwriting at all, its just not pushing anywhere, its like the Gretta Van Fleet formula, they are a great band, but they are still just flat out copying Led Zep.
The bigger crowds and the most passionate crowds have been at the bands/artists that are pushing their own niche though, with out a doubt.
Very good points as always! The only problem if you follow this “McDonald’s” approach is that you won’t get as many music masterpieces as you used to with songs such as Thriller, etc…
And what about when AI takes over?? 🤔
Love your content. Always enlightening. Personally, I want Spotify to serve up the surprises. I’m sick of the cookie cutter crap! My songs haven’t decreased in length. Screw em, I’m bringing back the guitar solo 😂🤟🤟
I used to were fisherman. Somewhere around 2000-2007. I went into sea for 5 months. When I left there were couple songs on a radio, they say "new" (I am talking about specific radio). When I get back from the sea 5 months after, same songs were on radio as "new". You think something changed since? Nope. They spinning same songs for almost a year. Over and over. 100 000? But only few get exposure
If I asked the general public what they wanted next, they would have told me faster horses.
Most of the top 100 songs involve between 5 to 12 songwriters and highly skilled professionals throughout the entire production process. The remainder are, to a large extent, akin to the tape trading practices of the 1970s and 80s-though without the associated charm. This is because the products are presented as something they are not: professional. Moreover, the artists fail to recognize this due to their lack of expertise as professional producers, audio engineers, record label operators, and marketing specialists.
While technological parameters have always helped define music, I reject any kind of equivocation people (not Damien) make that resists value judgements about which forms of consumption are more desirable to us as a society.
That is, just because the technology of the day has always promoted how we consume music, it doesn't mean that we can never reach a point where we put our foot down and collectively say, "No - this is TOO homogenized, too lowest common denominator, too attention-deficit inducing, too damaging to creativity and the artist."
Of course, this doesn't mean that everything was always great in the past or that we should reject the reality of our scenario or never modify our approach to music making. It just means that we don't have to affirm our current methods of music production, delivery and consumption as just another model we should all eagerly embrace.
We can still make value judgements and seek to actively dismantle (or, at the very least criticize or mollify) the systems which are damaging us. It may be a Quixotic quest, but arguably one of the most important ones we as artists - and as a culture - will ever take.
Songwriting is very much alive. My daughter is a fantastic songwriter. But there are obstacles. It costs money to get her songs recorded and then they have to sound like she wants them to. And then it is very difficult to actually get people to hear them. That itself costs a lot of money. A major artist can release something and get a million streams in a day. Don't know the exact numbers, but I read Billie Eilish released one song and it made her about $6m. The record companies are not doing enough to get talented new artists heard and obviously most of them are devious bastards.
The best artists today will combine the talent and the artistry with the attention spans of the people of today, making some songs that are short to attract the masses and drawing them into your masterpieces
The hour calleth for the gentle hearted man.
I feel like guitar driven bands should have their own app • instead Spotify • make it differentiate a little bit • bc a bunch shit just rap hip hop / big popular artist • the app needs to feel different
Your view that 'songwriters write to hack the social medium algorithms' makes a lot of sense. There would be nothing wrong with it if it were the only venue for music, but isn't there an audience for live music? I can't imagine wanting to sit for 2 hours to hear a couple dozen quick songs that all sound same-ish. Coincidentally, there's a new movie, Trapped, that describes what that might be like.
All about balance friends! All about balance.
You know what? I’m going to make music that is important to me, with every single second of it crafted to as much excellence I can squeeze out of it. I will research how to master the music so it can compete with everything else in the market. Then I’m going to propagate it and promote it as much as I can in the digital sphere by making countless 15 second Tik Tok videos guiding people to my Spotify page, advance promote singles every few weeks to every blog and magazine that reviews this kind of music and include imaginative covers of historical songs that will fill up people’s search boxes. I will package incentives to super fans and engage with them as much as humanly possible. I will conceal my identity so people can’t realize I’m just some schmuck sitting in a garage with Logic Pro and a bunch of awesome plug-ins. And if I don’t get one SINGLE fvcking play or sale, at least I know I gave this music everything I had, and can go to my grave knowing I did my best.
Make songs specifically for Spotify etc. Put the more artistic stuff on your website.
Great video 🔥 and I think music will bounce back
There's not much in contemporary culture that encourages and rewards close attention. Albums are less important than they were, and whereas artists used to lay themselves bare over the course of 10 or more carefully crafted, thematically consistent and meticulously ordered songs, they at least had reassurance of knowinng that their audience would listen to it in its entirety, and as they intended it. While album artists still exist, in our increasingly atomized society, they no longer have the cultural significance that they once did.
Not for me😂 i’m old so i still care about songwriting. I still fall victim to the add nature of social media like anyone else, but i like that we don’t have to follow formulaic shit, we wont get as much interaction but maybe we will. But if we do our own thing we can keep the art alive.🤘 great vid.
It's the same with commercial radio, they only want to play what is already popular, and don't like risk
Trickle-down stupidity has wormed its way into almost every facet of our current cultural, political and entertainment dynamic. People aren't getting challenged and are not oriented towards that disposition. In the 60's, you might have had the Beatles, Monkees, Byrds, but then it evolved with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Procol Harum, the Dead...then along came Queen, Steely Dan, prog-rock like Yes and Genesis, and each incarnation was more multiplexed, arguably even more interesting. Listeners had to up their game just to keep pace with what was happening around them artistically.
This came to an abrupt end with disco and continued in part with MTV -- though I love some of that early 80's stuff, it's just generally not complex nor very musically sophisticated. In the early to mid-90's did we see a resurgence that emphasized songwriting and performance (Soundgarden, Perl Jam, Nirvana, Radiohead, Wilco to name a few). But today listeners, en masse, aren't going to be able to digest an Elliot Smith, for example, and barely a Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, or Father John Misty. We've just gotten kinda collectively dumb. Aight, bye, I gotta go listen to Douja Cat and DaBaby cuz dey cap for real, no gap ngl.
They way I see it, songwriting is ultimately attached to the emotions people feel when they hear the song. Secondly it is attached to the band and musicians who write, release and play it. These two things can not be replaced by any technical development.
I think it is safest to focus on these two things, write and released moving music, then go on tour to connect with the audience and make a bit of money. If you can do that, then you will be safe'ish, no matter what technical development happens on the music market in the future.
Right? 🤘😎🖤🎵🎶
I’m not that young anymore. I can’t write the kind of ’music’ that appeals to, or cracks algorithms. I can only write what I know and enjoy. I gets drowned out in all the noise, but it’s mine.
I'm still young enough to be a "tik toker" and I feel such a disconnect with this notion that people find and consume music and artists through the scope of such surface level/instant gratification interaction as these studies suggest. I would even go so far as to say these types of listeners aren't real music lovers. They love novelty as long as it's replaced every 30 seconds or if it's supported by social validation. It's not how I've ever assigned value or meaning to music so I just don't get it and therefore struggle to play the game since it's not even how I myself interact with music and artistry. Anyways, at least artists like Porter Robinson are still experimenting, making 4+ minute songs and being awesome. Fuck the majority lol
Brilliant video, Damian!
Writing is personal - that said, you can make whatever you want. You CAN be informed on what to make if you let them control you...
I'm personally not really interested in using streaming services... Perhaps we need to focus less on distribution and more on raising the quality/niche over and over. If you're good, people will notice. If you're doing something special, you'll know. Ultimately, the artist is a salesperson. Maybe we should stop trying to rely on 3rd parties to sell ourselves... Offer your own products - or partner with a print on demand service. 👉 I have my own plans... But who knows... Im planning to focus on live performances, recording songs but using them less for streaming and more for advertisements of the song.
I want people to hear an addictive song and NOT be able to find it at first. COME TO THE SHOW. Order a CD. My opinion: I'm not going to stream my music until its something people want to stream - to play live is where its at. I feel like streaming music is really great for nostalgia - but not new artists.
I have wriitten over 40 songs and im happy to not share them because i write for myself, not to boost my ego by having others listening to them
I almost wish I could write to please the algorithms but usually there only seems to be one right answer to what should come next & each track ends when it naturally wants to.
Songwriting isn't dead. Music isn't dead. Music is the best it's ever been.
There are so many songs available within seconds that you can easily find incredible bands if you want.
The top tracks might be naff, but they have always been naff, bar a few.
When people say there's no good music, games or films, it just tells me that they are bad at looking.
What impact would it have if TikTok gets banned? This is not hypothetical, every now and then the discussion heats up in the USA and Europe. Some research says it destroys kids attention span etc. And some even argue it's some Chinese Psychological warfare. (In China, kids get content that makes them smarter and in western countries the algorithm dumbs them down.) When this gets more and more apparent, countries will start to ban TikTok. So I wonder what the impact on music promotion will be, and how to best prepare us for some (new) alternatives.
If the artist doesn't spend their free time consuming tickok then they shouldn't make music specifically for ticktock . They should make it and promote it for somebody like them because if they exist then so do millions lf other people. If you make your art for tiktok you have already lost me and people like me as a fan because it doesn't interest me in anyway .
Artists shouldn't over think it . Make music you love about emotions you have experience and promote in places that you yourself consume. There are millions of music fans who feel the same way as you who are waiting for somebody to articulate how they feel to the world so they don't feel alone . Dont calculate or compromise your music and art to try and deliver to a consumer what you think they want . Its genuinely pointless. Your not making toothpaste
It's great for stock investors in entertainment and technology sectors
Hard to get ABACAB, ie good song math into 30 seconds...in fact impossible. Short dopamine zings are not good for the mind either...hope things return to something healthy...imagine losing The Beatles genius to 30 second snippets.
There’s going to be a tipping point eventually when people wake up to the fact that there’s not much that’s meaningful in our idea of “culture” right now. When everyone’s songs sound like AI, and AI is being fed the same non-interesting chord progressions and lyrics in a circular manner, and then suddenly someone wakes up one day and realizes that “there’s more to life than this”. This is really a problem of people not having a foundation of music education to draw upon. When anyone can write a song without much musical training, you’re going to get an uninformed listening audience consuming uninformed content creators. I’d venture to guess that there’s a certain amount of people that are tuning out from social media because of this trend. It’s just uninteresting, unimaginative, and unsatisfying. In a similar manner to how the world thrived on junk food during the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, the same nutritionless information is being fed to our intellects today. Eventually there was a green revolution when people analyzed what was going on. We’ll get the same turning point but not everyone will be willing or able to consume it. There will be a swath of people who will be indoctrinated in this lifestyle for good, I’m afraid.
Still an 11 and a bit video that I watched all the way through though, some of us still have attention spans.
Loved the second half of this video so much, artistry and subjectivity rule 🤘
Fantastic Damo. Thank you
F' it man - we're amateurs creating our own real music and playing it live - we get great feedback on our songs from real people and frankly have no desire to be on ANY streaming platforms, but we will be because that's just "what you do" as a musician these days - even so, we've let go of "succeeding online" or "getting signed" and decided to just focus on our music - what a concept...
Absobloodylutely!
The top grossing movies of 2023 weren’t what you said… it was Barbie, Super Marios Bros, Spiderman Across the Spiderverse, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and Oppenheimer. 3/5 were not superhero films, and the superhero films included were ones that seemed to have heart and soul compared to all the others released that same year (Antman, The Marvels, The Flash, etc). There actually has been a big backlash to things that seem formulaic and cookie cutter and soulless, despite your assertion that ppl want the mcdonalds assembly line, ppl want value and quality, but they want it in novel ways that they haven’t seen before (even if it’s something familiar like a trending audio or a nostalgic toy brand), so the really successful creatives these days have to find a new format, execute their vision and stick with it long enough to break through the mold. It’s not about instant gratification, it’s about who can tell their story the best, and whether that story is human enough at its core to resonate with others.
Songwrting died a long time ago. When Record labels understood how to manipulate their market. They manipulated it from a reasonably intelligent vibrant knowledgable culturally mature, discerning demographic to know nothing pre-pubescent kids. No longer having to satisfy any kind of critical faculty they could sell whatever crap they liked, so long as they churned the mill.
Now anyone with even a small amount of musical education will reject all of this crap. Hence, we now have preventive strategies in place to stop anyone learning about music.
To hell with them, to hell with them all.
I'm gonna remix more BGM that begged to be remixed, even if I have one single audience in 2 years, I'll do it. YOU HEAR ME?
God Only Knows is only a perfect song in retrospect. Didn’t do much on release