September 26, 2022 A Recording Industry Association of America study found that old music now represents 70 percent of the U.S. music market. In this week's email:
CLASSICAL CHARTS THE BIG IDEA Is old music killing new music?The idea of masterworks has been an important aspect of how we attribute value to music from the past. These are pieces that are still revered today as cultural objects that epitomize artistic innovation: i.e. Brahms’ romantic sonata, or the triumphant depiction of light over darkness in Beethoven's Ode to Joy Until now, popular music has somehow avoided the same kinds of high-cultural lionizations. The past half-decade has instead been obsessed with exploring the novelty of new musical innovations, particularly in the popular song form, from 1950s Rock and roll to the Pop punk revival of the 2020s. Over this seventy-year period, the music industry has been at the forefront of discovering new talent, be they new classical pianists, or heavy metal bands. In an article written by Ted Gioia for The Atlantic, he argues that the music industry's business model is shifting from promoting new songs to promoting old ones. Old beats newAccording to MRC Data, old songs now represent 70% of the US music market. The 200 most popular tracks now account for less than 5% of total streams. The mix of songs actually purchased by consumers is even more tilted to older music. The current list of most downloaded tracks on iTunes is filled with the names of bands from the last century. Why the decline?Some people, especially baby boomers, suggest the decline in music is simply the result of lousy new music. Of course, every generation rejects the past in hopes of making their own mark on the canon. The results of which are then attributed to a shift in taste, rather than an innovation as such. In the 1990s, things started to change. It was first noted in a study that asked over 200 college students the question: “If you could step into a time machine and press any year to go to — forward, or backward in time — what year would you pick and why?” The majority chose decades they never knew firsthand, the most popular being the 1960s. People started to look backwards, and music seemed to be an important factor. Decline of A&R The music industry has cut back on both discovering and nurturing young talents. The reason, Gioia suggests, is the fear of copyright lawsuits that has made many in the music industry afraid of listening to unsolicited demo recordings. The people whose livelihood depends on discovering new musical talent face legal risks if they take their job seriously. As record labels lose interest in new music, emerging performers desperately search for other ways of getting exposure. Hello TikTok. The trend is everywhereIn 2021, viewership for the Grammy Awards collapsed 53% from the previous year from 18.7 million to 8.8 million. It was the least-watched Grammy broadcast of all time. 98% of people between the ages of 18 and 49 had something better to do than tune in. The hottest technology in music is a format that is more than 70 years old, the vinyl LP. Song catalogs with the highest demand are by musicians in their 70s or 80s. Record labels, once a source of musical innovation, are now simply following trends on social media platforms. THE LATEST Hot water: An orchestra in Florida is being sued for firing Covid non-vax musicians. The Royals: What has King Charles III done for classical music? Touring: Musicians are touriong again, but all it takes is one case of COVID to sink an entire tour. Class act: 12-year-old award-winning Vancouver pianist donating $30K to share music with other kids. Piano: Evgeny Kissin shares frank thoughts about the invasion of Ukraine. Big ticket: How much would you pay to hear classical music live? Cool jobs: The hidden world of an opera prompter. Broadway: Why Phantom of the Opera is calling it a day. Competitions: 2022 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis crowns Violinist Sirena Huang winner. GUIDE The Classical Music Slang DictionaryLike any vocation, those working in the field of classical music love to use their fair share of rather colourful slang terms. Some are nearly universal, while others are hardly known at all. ————Axe: An endearing term for a musician’s instrument. “Bring your axe so we can play tonight.” Barihunk: A handsome baritone with exaggerated masculine features. One who removes his shirt for the sake of opera. The closer they look like Fabio, the better. “OMG! Barihunk alert!” Bones: Trombones. “Never look at the bones. You’ll only encourage them.” To Clam: Miss a note. “Darn it! I keep clamming that last 32nd note.” Classive Aggressive: Delicate/soft classical music played at a high volume, or someone who speaks indignantly about non-classical music. Colognetanger: A man or woman who wears an obnoxious amount of perfume at a classical music concert. “There’s a Colognetanger in the parterre box. It won’t take you long to find them.” Driftwood: A nasty term for concert patrons who walk incredibly slowly, especially around aisles and doorways, effectively blocking the flow of traffic making their way to their seats. To Elgar: To get drunk and start playing piano at a party. “The party never really starts until someone Elgars the piano.” Football: A whole note. “I can’t wait for my big entrance at the football on measure 133.” Gravy Gig: A performance that requires little preparation or effort. Hairpin: Crescendo/decrescendo mark. “Remember the hairpin on the opening of each phrase.” Head-bobbers: Audience members who fall asleep during concerts. “Hey John, check out the head-bobber in the front row.” Hummer: A musician lacking classical training. “I hate to say this, but she’s a bit of a hummer.” Idiot Check: The act of going back into the venue after everything is loaded out and packed up to ensure nothing was forgotten. Should be performed by two different people. Maestrobate: The act of conducting an imaginary orchestra, often in a grandiose and exaggerated fashion. Monster: A really, really good musician. Mozart Boobs: In the Opera World, the terminology refers to breasts which fit neatly into a corset, therefore looking good on the Opera Stage. Nickelbach: The name for an amateur ensemble that only performs the most well-known, least adventurous repertoire. Octaviate: A term used when playing a musical instrument, normally the trumpet, when a player goes into the extreme upper register. Opera Water/Symphony Water: Water obtained from the lobby drinking fountain during intermission at an opera house or concert hall. Orch Dork: A person who loves playing an instrument in an orchestra (usually a school or youth orchestra). They often have a very strong opinion about their conductor. Orchestra Shock: The moment when someone hears a full orchestra for the first time, and has their mind blown. Pianoob: Someone who had just started playing the piano. Every known pianist in the world started out as a pianoob. Pipes: A singer’s voice. Only used when they are very good. Practice Mark: The marks left on your fingers, lips, or neck from practicing your instrument for long hours. Prima Donna: A musician, typically a singer, who acts entitled. Purple Hairs: A derogatory term used to describe older folks at classical music concerts. To Rach: To play in an intense and impressive manner. Stringy Paddle: Ludwig Van’s favourite term for a violin. Subway Effect: The act of ignoring a public performance unless they are on a concert stage. Vamp: To kill time speaking to the crowd while the musicians prepare. Vertical: A weekly gig that happens on the same day. Violin Hickey, aka Violin Chin: A mark on violinists/violists located under the jaw. It is formed from the chinrest rubbing on the neck and looks like a little hickey. To Woodshed: To practice. The Zone: The place where time stands still, and the music is felt most deeply. This is the most cherished conscious state sought after by musicians and listeners alike. TECH New Process Could Reduce Carbon Footprint Of Vinyl Record ProductionIn recent years, there have been multiple headlines about the resurgence of vinyl sales in the music industry, a fact that’s particularly noteworthy in the digital era. Many laud vinyl’s richer sound palette, along with the ability to create larger cover displays and liner notes. While the overall numbers are still relatively low, it’s showing solid growth. All physical media only make up about 11% of annual sales of recorded music, according to US figures. However, sales of CDs were up (47.7%) and vinyl (up 67.3%) from 2020 to 2021. However, there’s a side of vinyl sales that isn’t so positive — its environmental impact. From the imported PVC pellets used to produce the discs to the overseas plants where it is made for North American markets, the process isn’t pretty, as reports reveal. PVC itself is a carcinogen, and its production creates toxic wastewater. Enter bioplastic, an innovation its maker says can help to decarbonise the music biz. What’s bioplastic?The bioplastic material in question is uses a sugar-based formula to create a vinyl alternative. The material is a product by Evolution Music of the UK, a company on a mission to green the music industry and create more environmentally and socially responsible practices within it. The company says its material can be immediately substituted for the usual plastic without changing the existing machinery or processing. Acting CEO of Evolution Music Marc Carey said in a media release that the company’s goal is to make it easy for record pressing plants to make the switch. According to Carey, while there has already been one pressing for public sale, the material is still a work in progress. “[In] the little bit of lead-in and in between the tracks there’s some surface noise. If you like that, if you’re a 70s fan, you like that little crackling, great,” he said. “We’ve got a unique recipe, but we are a (research and development) company — we’ll carry on with iterations of R&D to improve it.” “The production of vinyl is toxic in very many ways and there are all kinds of processes in it that are damaging to the environment, but we like vinyl. What’s the solution? Find a non-toxic way of doing it. Hey, presto, here we have it,” said Lewis Jamieson, a co-founder of Music Declares Emergency (MDE), a music industry climate action campaign group with a base of support by nearly 3,000 artists. “The music industry, the creative arts, should be at the forefront of innovation… and typically, cultural change is what affects political and social change,” Carey noted. The first recording using Evolution’s bioplastic was manufactured in Middlesbrough, UK, featuring a piece by Bicep, an electronic duo. Carey says he’s hoping that a major recording artist will adopt the bioplastic for their own work, and lead to a trend. AROUND THE WEB ⛰️On this day: In 1949 the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hollywood sign in Hollywood, Los Angeles took place. The old Hollywoodland sign was torn down, and the reconstruction of a replacement begins with just Hollywood. 🚴♀️ Interesting: Thousands of bikes wind up in bodies of water every year. Why? 🎹 Whoa: Artist uses AI to imagine what dead musicians would look like today. 🍌 Art: “Banana Craze” is an online exhibition that shows how the fruit has been used in Latin American art. 🐱 Aww: And now, a woman who crochets hats for her cat. CARTOON OF THE WEEK (Source: Facebook/NPR) How did you like today's email? |