There was a time when it looked like festivals were all more or less organized by eccentric farmers, huge multinationals, or enthusiasts who decided to launch after promising to set “the best festival ever organized!” one day in the after. Now it looks like most festivals are controlled by a DJ. Of course, this is nothing new (Peacock and sisters are here to remind us), but the trend has strengthened strongly in recent years. Now there’s Annie Mac’s Lost and Found, Lost Village is organized by Jaymo and Andy, Disclosure is the thinking head of WildLife, not to mention the brilliant Houghton organized by Fabric resident Craig Richard for the first time last year.
In 2021, there will be even more, and the legend UK Artwork (of the late Magnetic Man band) has already announced its own event, Arts House: A Lovely London Festival next August. And let’s be frank; who better than a DJ to organize an excellent festival? It is not for nothing that Nuits Sonores entrusts its programming of days to the size of the genre. Each artist brings with him a well-stocked address book of impeccable talents and unparalleled attention to detail in terms of sound quality. In a nutshell; they know what distinguishes between a good festival and one you remember all your life. As for Craig Richards and his Houghton festival, it’s 72 hours of non-stop sound that makes all the difference.
Like the entire entertainment industry, the music industry is constantly evolving. It is undergoing minor changes, but also major transformations that are upsetting the musical landscape. As technology, society and fashions evolve faster and faster, what will be the impact on the industry in 2021? We’ve identified 6 major trends that you’ll most certainly encounter this year. Although nothing is certain, clues have been pointing in some directions for a handful of years. Here are the trends to come in 2020:
1) Ever shorter songs
The most striking trend is the duration of the songs, which seems to be shortening over the years. In 2019, the average duration of Top 40 songs was three minutes and seven seconds. That’s 30 seconds less than in 2018.
Two phenomena can explain this reduction in duration: music streaming and the discovery of songs via playlists. Indeed, shorter songs are more likely to be listened to among the dozens of other songs. In other words, the risk of the user skipping the song to move on to the next one is less important. As a result, the traditional structures of popular songs have given way to shorter formats.
In 2021, the artists’ goal will be to broadcast songs optimized for playlists, which will better attract listeners to the full album.
2) Music styles merge
Secondly, it seems that the old musical classifications are no longer relevant. From now on, the genres mix and merge, to obtain pieces with a unique style.
In 2004, Nelly and Tim McGraw made one of the first hip-hop/country mixes in the mainstream charts. But in 2019, this gender merger has become commonplace. For example, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” combines many styles (its classification is also debated in the musical sphere), which does not prevent it from remaining the number one song.
After all, our time is marked by globalization, multiculturalism, and diversity. Why would the industry not follow this trend? In 2021, expect stylistic boundaries to be erased even more.
3) Independent record companies take over
This third trend is not a big surprise. Indeed, in recent times independent record companies have already begun to seduce well-known artists, such as XYZ.
And according to forecasts for 2021, experts believe that the major labels will continue to lose their grip on the sector. Not only will independent labels be more coveted than large labels, but they should also borrow certain strategies and approaches from independent record labels (e.g., assign more power to the artist).
4) Music and virtual reality merge
Virtual reality is already present in many activities. Over the past decade, it has continued to improve and gained greater recognition in all areas. It is therefore not surprising that it has an important place in the industry. For example, great artists have already made clips in virtual reality (such as Gorillaz, with his music video Saturnz Barz).
Even if virtual reality doesn’t reach the realism that can be seen in the Black Mirror series, it will continue to gain space in the industry in 2021.
5) Physical sales down
In addition, the music industry continues to lose momentum in physical sales. Today more than ever, everything is digitized… and the music is particularly suitable for this. According to Nielsen’s 2019 half-year report, online listening now accounts for 78% of music consumption.
Indeed, sound lovers no longer buy records; they much prefer to download albums online or pay a subscription to access music online. Sound streaming services are convenient and financially attractive while allowing users to listen to the music they want whenever they want and anywhere.
Some platforms even allow you to pay for subscriptions with virtual currency, such as the Ripple (XRP). If you are not familiar with this cryptocurrency, we suggest you research the in-depth introduction to Ripple. It is a safe, anonymous, and convenient way to pay for access to songs of all kinds. As with virtual reality and high-speed internet, virtual currency technology is gradually changing the music industry.
6) Musicians’ alternative income
Finally, the days when artists made money solely from their music are over. For several years, they have relied mainly on alternative sources of income in order to make a living from their passion.
In 2021 and in the coming years, it is very likely that artists will embark even more on this path. YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms are making more money for the artists especially now that they can’t do concerts due to the ongoing Coronavirus problem. This trend will likely to continue in many years to come.
