Music is often referred to as the universal language. As a driving force for many creative media, it has united people globally in dance, celebration and culture. The way in which people consume music has changed drastically over the past century. In the 1970s, vinyl records and 8-track players dominated the music medium. In the 1980s, it was cassette tapes and boomboxes. The 1990s saw the mass production of CDs, Walkmans and music channels like MTV.
From record players to streaming services, people have seen the way in which they interact with music change. Music became more accessible with the transition from physical media to streaming, but streaming may be contributing to a new problem: lost media. Some argue that the ability to globalize music even further is a wonderful opportunity, while others argue it is a deficit to creatives and consumers in the music industry.
Streaming allows for an easier listening experience. With streaming, people have access to millions of songs and can listen to a full album or make a playlist of their favorites. With media like vinyl records or cassettes, there is a need for dedication to listening to the complete album.
On a vinyl, one has to pick up the needle on the turntable and move it directly to the next song on the record. Cassette tapes don’t have a traditional skip option; people have to fast-forward until they reach the next song.
Listening to albums is a longer, definite process. It’s a more focused experience, since it is not easily stoppable. Many argue physical media, such as vinyl sound better, grittier and give a closer recording of what the music sounded like in the studio. Digital processors can’t read analog sound waves like record and cassette players.
According to Dustin Miraglia, a writer for Unison, analog can pick up environmental noises while digital “requires binary coding that accurately transmits data.” There are missing sounds from digital versions.
The creation of iTunes in the early 2000s shifted the market from physical media to digital files. iPods held thousands of music files and allowed people to store thousands of songs without ever owning a single CD. iTunes allowed users to buy individual songs for $0.99, instead of full albums.
This was unheard of during the era of burning CDs, as programs like RealJukebox, Windows Media Player and MusicMatch forced users to pay to burn CDs fast and get high-quality playbacks.
iTunes introduced the personalization of music; users could now create custom playlists for every mood and occasion. However, music became much more transactional.
Streaming and digital access removed the need to go to a record store, stand in line for a CD release or even download a file. There is no guaranteed money or listening investment involved with the modern listening experience.
Although sharing CDs, listening parties and music recommendations at record stores were once ways people discovered new music, algorithms have replaced the social sharing aspect of music discovery. Algorithms now push music based on the preferences of music users. Artificial intelligence has started to pick up this role, creating AI-generated playlists and tools meant to push recommendations based on your mood and interests.
The social interaction of sharing music has started to come back. Album listening parties are becoming more frequent. The intimacy of music sharing has largely moved online, with friends or algorithms sharing playlists.
While streaming allows listeners to pick up and move through a global digital music environment, the ability to own and collect favorite music is erased. The identity aspect of music collection has also seemingly been pushed aside, with music trends taking the brunt of the work. Music is a lot more passive in the way in which trends come and go.
The story of how people listen to music is also a story of how technology reshapes culture. From vinyl records, CDs, iTunes downloads and streaming, each evolution in technology has reshaped society's relationship with the art of music.
The transition from ownership to accessing music has both liberated and limited music listeners. Music, which was once centered around possession, has transitioned to being about participation. Focusing on becoming a shared medium once more, people are seeing music become revitalized.
Technology changes how people hear music, but not the move and experience of engaging with it.
