Pop Music Is Live and Kicking Many musical media magazines and online blogs were decrying the death of the pop act. With lackluster record sales in the holiday season of 2013, many were talking about throwing in the towel on the genre. But what was supposed to be the end of a genre, was actually just a ripple as millions of people listened to music in the pop category more than ever before. In fact, there are a few reasons why people were so quick to say that people’s love of the art form has gone, and it may surprise you. There has been some serious changes in the way people listen to music in the past couple of years, and last year’s specifically, creating a whole new landscape for artists, young and old alike. Streaming Media Instead of downloading, buying, and even storing physical copies, millions of people have moved towards streaming their favorite artists through subscription based services. These services have grown by leaps and bounds and have proven to be effective in a lot of ways. There are several companies trying to outdo each other, and while some artists have talked about how they aren’t getting paid nearly as much, independent, underground, and just about any act that is trying to “make it” today, now has a fighting chance to level the playing field, albeit difficult. The Second Coming of Vinyl The number one vinyl record sole in 2013 was none other than a pop record. The record in question may have leaned towards dance, but it’s really a pop record and when you start to pull back the curtain of the top 10 of the year, you’ll find that millions of pieces of wax were sold. That too is something interesting to note, as the music industry all but gave up on the format long ago. Despite the fact that records were going to die, it has been kept alive by fringe genres like punk, ska, hardcore, reggae, and others. To the point where it’s actually rising as compact disc sales are dramatically dropping in price. Super Tours The touring act is nothing new, but the touring pop act? Well, the biggest names in pop music hit the road throughout the world and played to sold out shows wherever they performed. Name a mainstream artist today and you will see that they pulled in millions of dollars in touring revenue, playing to sold out capacity crowds across the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. Some artists didn’t even put out a new record and found incredible success on the road, making it another great year for live music. If people weren’t purchasing tangible products, they most certainly were paying money to see many artists perform live. In the end, pop music is not only live & kicking, it’s continually evolving. The landscape of music may seem like it’s muted at times, but it is most definitely alive and well. The medium of transit may have changed, but people still shell out upwards of $300 for a pair of headphones, and it’s not just for videos.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 08:58:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015