Pushed: How Pop Music Dies
Pushed: How Pop Music Dies is a book about the dark side of the pop music industry.
The Streaming Era
Previously, the record industry was reliant on sales of CDs and other physical music formats. However, the rise of digital streaming platforms has changed the game. Now, music is consumed primarily through streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music. This has had a major impact on the pop music industry.
The Decline of Physical Album Sales
In just a few years, digital streaming has transformed the music industry. In 2014, streaming platforms such as Spotify and Pandora generated a combined $1.87 billion in revenue, while sales of physical albums fell to $1.27 billion—a drop of nearly 40 percent from 2010, when sales totaled $2.1 billion.
The decline of album sales is part of a larger trend: the rise of digital streaming and the fall of physical media. In just a few years, streaming has transformed the music industry. In 2014, streaming platforms such as Spotify and Pandora generated a combined $1.87 billion in revenue, while sales of physical albums fell to $1.27 billion—a drop of nearly 40 percent from 2010, when sales totaled $2.1 billion.
Though streaming services are becoming increasingly popular, they have yet to become profitable for the music industry as a whole. In 2015, the top three services—Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music—lost a combined $385 million. The revenue generated by these services is not enough to offset the decline in sales of physical albums and digital downloads, which still make up the majority of the industry’s income.
There are several reasons for the decline in album sales. One is that many people no longer want to buy an entire album when they can just listen to their favorite songs on demand with a streaming service. Another factor is that piracy is still prevalent: an estimated 24 percent of internet users say they have downloaded music illegally in the past year. finally, CD sales have been declining for years as people have switched to digital formats such as MP3s and AAC files
The Rise of Streaming Services
The streaming era has been a boon for the music industry, with revenues increasing by double digits in recent years. But it has also been a challenge, as subscription services have upended the traditional business model.
In the past, people bought physical copies of albums or songs, or subscribed to radio programs. Today, most people listen to music on their phones, tablets, or computers, and streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music have become the primary way that people discover and listen to music.
This shift has had a profound impact on the music industry. Record labels and artists are now focused on building a presence on streaming platforms, and many labels have formed relationships with one or more of the major streaming services.
The rise of streaming services has also led to changes in how people consume music. In the past, people would generally listen to an entire album from start to finish; today, people are more likely to cherry-pick individual songs or create customized playlists. And because there is no need to purchase an entire album, listeners can be more selective in what they choose to hear.
The increase in streaming has had a positive impact on revenues for the music industry overall, but it has been a mixed bag for individual artists and labels. In particular, many older artists and small labels have struggled to adapt to the new model. For example, older artists may not be as familiar with streaming platforms or may not have a strong presence on them. Similarly, smaller labels may not have the same relationships with streaming services as larger labels do. As a result, these artists and labels may see their revenues decline even as overall industry revenues grow.
The Death of the Single
In a world where we can get any song we want at the click of a button, is the single even relevant anymore? It seems that the answer is no. With streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, people are no longer buying singles. In fact, the sale of singles has been on a steady decline for the past few years.
The Decline of Digital Single Sales
The digital single, once a popular format for buying and listening to music, is in decline. In 2018, digital single sales totaledjust 102 million units, a 23% drop from the 133 million sold in 2013, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This downward trend is likely to continue, as streaming music services like Spotify and Apple Music continue to grow in popularity.
There are a number of reasons for the decline of digital single sales. One is that many people now prefer to stream music instead of buying individual tracks or albums. This is especially true among younger listeners: According to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, 85% of Americans ages 18-29 say they use streaming services such as Spotify or Pandora, while just 15% say they purchase digital singles.
Another factor is that the price of digital singles has remained relatively static even as the cost of other music formats has declined. For example, the average price of a CD declined from $17 in 1999 to $13 in 2009, while the price of a digital single has remained around $1 since its inception. This has made it harder for artists to make money from digital singles sales, and has likely contributed to the decline in popularity of the format.
The Rise of Album-Equivalent Units
In 2014, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) began incorporating on-demand streams and digital track sales into their Gold and Platinum Album Awards, dubbing the new formula “Album-Equivalent Units” (AEU). The new metric Flood Watch Meek Mill’s wins two more certifications for his DC4 album, and Big Sean’s I Decided. is designed to capture the modern album consumption experience, where listeners might stream an album on Spotify or Apple Music rather than purchasing it outright.
The inclusion of AEU has had a profound effect on the certification of recent releases. In the past year alone, a number of artists have seen their albums go from non-certified to multi-platinum simply by virtue of the fact that their on-demand streams are now being tallied. Notably, Drake’s Views and Kendrick Lamar’s Damn. both went from zero certifications to diamond status in a matter of months thanks to AEU.
The shift to AEU has also had an impact on how quickly albums are certified. In the old system, it could take months or even years for an album to reach Gold or Platinum status as sales gradually accrued over time. With AEU in place, however, an album can be certified immediately upon release if it generates enough on-demand streams. This was the case with J Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which was certified 2x platinum less than two weeks after its release thanks to streaming activity.
The changes wrought by AEU have been beneficial for many artists, but they have also led to some controversial moments. The most notable of these came in 2017 when Drake’s More Life was certified 4x platinum despite only selling 160 copies in physical format. The low sales figure led many to accuse the RIAA of inflating their numbers, but the organization defended their decision by citing More Life’s significant streaming activity.
It’s evident that AEU has had a major impact on how music is consumed and awarded in today’s industry landscape. With streaming becoming increasingly prevalent, it seems likely that AEU will continue to shape the future of pop music.
The Fall of the Music Video
It’s no secret that the music industry is in decline. Record sales have been falling for years and recently, even live concert attendance has been down. One of the most visible signs of the decline of the music industry is the fall of the music video.
The Decline of MTV
In the 1980s, MTV was the hottest thing in music. They played music videos 24/7 and everyone wanted to be a part of it. However, in recent years, MTV has fallen from grace. They no longer play music videos and their ratings have plummeted. So what happened?
There are a few factors that led to the decline of MTV. First, the network started to focus more on reality TV shows and less on music videos. Second, they began to alienate their core audience by playing more hip hop and R&B videos instead of rock videos. Finally, the rise of YouTube and other online video platforms made it easier for people to find music videos without having to watch MTV.
MTV is no longer the powerhouse it once was, but there’s still a place for music videos in the modern world. Thanks to YouTube and other online video platforms, music videos are more accessible than ever before. So while MTV may have fall from grace, the music video is here to stay.
The Death of the Music Video Star
The fall of the music video star began with the rise of YouTube. In the early days of YouTube, music videos were one of the most popular types of content on the site. Fans would watch their favorite artists’ latest videos and share them with their friends.
But then something changed. The record labels started to see YouTube as a threat to their business. They were worried that people would stop buying CDs and DVDs if they could just watch music videos for free online. So they started putting pressure on YouTube to remove music videos from the site.
YouTube complied, and in 2009, it launched a new section of its site called Vevo, which was devoted exclusively to music videos. But the damage was already done. Fans had gotten used to watching music videos for free, and they weren’t willing to pay for them again.
As a result, the number of views for music videos has declined sharply in recent years. And as views have declined, so have Ad revenues. This has led to a decline in production budgets for music videos, which has made it harder for new artists to break into the business.
So what does this all mean for the future of the music video? It’s hard to say. But one thing is clear: The days of the mega-popular music video star are numbered.
The End of the Pop Star
Once, music fans around the world united under the banner of pop. From the early days of Elvis and The Beatles to the global phenomenon of boy bands and girl groups, pop music has always had a place in our hearts. But now, the pop star is dying. In a world of streaming and social media, the traditional pop star is no longer relevant. So, what does this mean for the future of pop music?
The Decline of the Pop Album
Few would argue that the pop album is in decline. With the rise of streaming services and the growing popularity of singles, more and more people are consume pop music on a track-by-track basis, rather than through full-length albums. This has had a profound impact on the way pop music is made, and has led to a decline in the sales and popularity of pop albums.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the decline of the pop album. One is simply the changing nature of the music industry, as technological advancements have made it easier for people to consume music in different ways. Another factor is the increasing trend of shorter attention spans, as people are more likely to skip around and only listen to parts of an album rather than sitting down and listening to it from start to finish. Additionally, many pop artists now release their music through singles rather than albums, as they can reach a wider audience this way and generate more revenue.
Whatever the reasons for its decline, it’s clear that the pop album is no longer as relevant as it once was. It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue or if there will be a resurgence in interest in full-length albums in the future.
The Rise of the Niche Artist
In the past, to be a pop star was to be one of the most popular people on Earth. But in recent years, the rise of streaming services and social media has fragmente dthe music industry, and now it’s possible for an artist to have a die-hard following without ever cracking the mainstream.
Some have dubbed this the “end of the pop star,” but it’s really just the beginning of a new era in which niche artists can find devoted followings without needing to compromise their art or themselves to achieve mainstream success. In many ways, this is a good thing; it allows for more creativity and experimentation within the music world, and gives artists more freedom to be who they are.
But it also has its downside; without a unifying force like pop stars, music can feel disjointed andnc ertain, and there’s a risk that vital scenes and genres could be overlooked or undervalued. Only time will tell how this new landscape will ultimately shake out.
