Past... Present... Future

The average person probably doesn't think about the music industry on a daily basis but they probably use an iPod that they cherish.  Without recent developments, the technology that created our "iPod world" or even the technology that makes the songs sound so good would not be around.

There are several things that have contributed to what we now call the music industry. As we narrow the lens towards the recording industry, the list does not get much smaller. So much has changed in the last twenty years. One of these major switches was going from analog to digital. That's a lot more than just how the sound is recorded. Boards, mics, equipment, software as well as relearning how to do everything again. But with these hardships have come great success and great advances. From the switch, we have gained the ability to record a wider range of sounds as well as more complex sounds.

The fact that technology has been advancing at the rate it has been and will be is a huge feat in-and-of-itself. Could you imagine if for some reason this technology ceased advancing? Or maybe it regressed and we lose what we have come to love? Also, the threat that technology will advance too quickly is another potential devastation. Because we are so fortunate, the recording industry has its science pretty well figured out. It has changed from the "90's boyband" days but in a good way. The 90's were a learning curve. During that time, the industry played around with the new digital sound and tried to figure out what the people wanted. Some labels flopped while others rose to the top. This learning curve ended right around 2000 when digital was cool and the future of recording.

As the industry was finally caught back up and re-educated, social media started to begin its role in the recording industry. Labels could get almost instant feedback via the Internet, as it was becoming more readily accessible and affordable, something that was not available ten years prior. Over the next ten years, social media would play a bigger role than anyone anticipated. Now, labels use Facebook to their advantage to see what you "like" and also what pages you go towards. Unsigned artists try to get discovered via YouTube and MySpace, despite being a predecessor of Facebook is now primarily used for bands. You never know where you will find the next big thing.

The recording industry is constantly changing and changing at an unpredictable rate. One week dub-step is where its at, the next week its over to the latest Lady Gaga song, then raw rock music. This industry is not predictable but rather we roll with the punches. There is no road map or schedule. Using social media to their advantage and trying to keep up with the fans is the best way to anticipate the future. As far as technology goes, digital is here to stay. Analog is making a comeback with digital components and its unique sound is being channeled back in.

You can change the music but you can never kill it.