It’s kind of funny to think of it
that way but social media does have deep seated roots dating back to the days
of the Neanderthal. We’ve obviously come a long way since then. Radio and
television have had a huge impact on society at large. And new technologies,
coupled with the internet, are dredging deeper trenches into our lives making
sure we stay dependent on the newest trends.
Like all other art forms, music has
played a vital role in shaping our culture, the way we think and often times,
the way we remember things. And if you’re like me, music is a pretty big part
of life.
But I have to ask; What affect is social media, yet another element that has a huge impact in shaping our culture, having
on musicians and music today?
When MTV first aired in 1981, the
very first music video it played was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the
Bungles. (Yes, at one point MTV did play music videos.) I’m not sure if this
was an extremely clever prediction of what was to come but there is a certain
irony in that title when you consider the profound impact the station had on music
and its unrelenting effects on culture. This came at a time when there was absolutely
nothing new on the social media radar and it seemed like the only way to
connect with your favorite band/musician was to listen to the radio, buy some
cassettes and pray that they made it into the next issue of your favorite music
magazine. (BTW, from my perspective listening
to mainstream radio is a crime worthy of cruel and unusual punishment.)
The bottom line? Musicians were
forced to make major changes to the way they interacted with fans. If you
didn’t have a video that was being played on MTV, you had no chance of getting
noticed. Period. While this proved to be a positive thing for musicians, it set
the stage for what would ultimately become the biggest failure of large scale
social media outlets.
Today we have the privilege of watching shows like
American Idol or The X Factor. While there is no doubt that there are a few
really talented people that have performed on these shows, those watching
certainly seem to be inflicted with musical vacuity. Let’s face it. The only
reason people watch reality shows like this is because it provides them with an
opportunity to feel better about their own existence and superior to the poor
schmuck that thinks he can sing and does not mind making a fool of himself on
national television. Shows like this have nothing to offer us in true musical
talent. They are simply breading grounds to anesthetize the masses into
following what the record labels and large companies like Disney or Viacom (Teen Nic) want us to listen to. They
inundate us with over rated, quasi talented and hyper marketed drivel that lulls
the minds of pre-teens and teenagers into thinking that there is no other
musical outlet other than what they see/hear on these shows. The “music” performed on these shows are
cookie cutter templates that are written and produced by the same 4 studio
musicians in some gawd awful place like Lodi, NJ and pawned off as the latest
hit by these so-called music stars.
This is a crime. This is not what
the most powerful social media outlet on the planet should be offering us. Where is the real talent? Where are the real musicians? Where is the kid
sitting in his bedroom learning his chops on the guitar or piano while all of
his friends are playing XBox?
If you spend a few days in a large city like New
York
I can remember walking through
the subway one night after seeing a band perform in a small club. It was late
and there were no other people around. As I sat on the bench waiting for the
train, a few feet away from me a string quartet began to play. I melted into my
seat. I’m not sure if it was the natural reverb afforded to the music by the
subway tunnel or the simple experience of hearing Brahms String Quartet in C
minor being played in darkly lit, desolate area with no one else to share it
with. What I do know is that it brought me to fucking tears. These are the
people we should be hearing on national television. These are the real
musicians.
(I should note that Guitar Center does have a series that highlights
some of today’s top musical talent with in depth interviews and live
performances where the musicians play in a very small studio with a handful of
lucky fans in the audience. I highly recommend it. Providing, of course, that
your local TV provider offers it.)
Anyone that knows me well enough
will tell you that I was a pain in the ass when I was younger. I loathe
listening to the radio and if I got in your car, there was no doubt we were
listing to one of the several cassette tapes I had in my coat pocket. (Today I just whip out my iPod.) Even as
a young kid I knew that listening to the radio would severely limit my options
and pigeon-hole me into the musical mold in which they wanted me to fit. Back
then I was involved in a huge underground movement that traded new music the
old fashioned way. It was not uncommon to receive a cassette tape that was
originally created on the opposite coast. I was listening to bands like
Metallica, Motley Crue and even Nirvana long before they were on anyone’s radar.
Yes Lars, you have to admit that you guys
were handing out demo tapes at every show and giving your music away to anyone
that would take it from you.
So what does all of this have to
do with social media? A lot actually…
Exhibit A
Back in the “Good ol’ days”
musicians only needed two things. - An original sound and a great look. A
band’s popularity was based solely on the merits of their music. Fans would
hear a song, buy the CD and go see the band when they came to their area.
That’s the natural progression of things. Bands were not dependent on hit
counts and links. Today’s artists need to have at a minimum, accounts on close
to 15 websites and have the ability to maintain those accounts. While Myspace
had the best chance of offering a great outlet for musicians, it is outdated
and largely quiescent within the social media arena. Facebook, is the largest
social media outlet by far but let’s face it, its crap and it offers little in
the way of new technologies that can help an upcoming band other than a way for
people to “like” them. Facebook may
be great for the average Joe to follow his favorite musician and feel connected
but this is really more of a tool for those bands that have an established
following. Ever find yourself on the page of a local band or a musician that
Is looking for an audience? Not
much going on there.
Sites like Bandmix.com,
SoundCloud.com, ReverbNation.com, Grooveshark.com and Soundclick.com offer an
artist a wide variety of tools to connect with would be fans and allow the general
public plenty of bandwidth to preview new music. But how many more sites like
this are out there? How often do you find yourself logging onto ReverbNation to
look for new music? And if the music is not accompanied by a video, how likely
are you to spend your valuable time online listening to a song you’ve never
heard before? My bet is not often.
Exhibit B
Given the current economic
climate and having to deal with the always evolving music business, artists are
in constant need to find new ways to reach out and connect with people. It’s
not about the money. It never has been. If you forget about the money making
music machine that was the 80s, a time when non talented plastic bands were
being stamped out on a daily basis like cheap toys you find at the dollar
store, you’ll find that musicians are all about making a deep connection. (BTW, a large portion of today’s
music fits the model created 80’s. ) They’re putting it all out there
for you. Raw and unashamed. They put their talents on the line for you to be
the ultimate judge and to decide if their music is worthy of your time. Maybe
it’s a band with a new groove or a singer-songwriter who is painting new
landscapes with a few simple chords but an artist’s main concern is making that
connection with you.
To show you how badly musicians
wish to make that connection, several artists have gone as far as to give free
online concerts. While I’m sure that this will soon become the standard for
today’s new musicians, I’m not sure I agree with the precedent it sets. Why
should I bother going out to see an artist if I can sit in my home and watch
him/her perform right there on my monitor? Why should I bother purchasing an
artist’s music when there’s a good chance that it will be made available to me
on a music sharing site at some point? (By no means am I suggesting that you
should download music illegally but it IS a fact of life if you are an artist.)
Yes kiddies, social media is a
bitch. It can be an artist’s best friend or provide an avenue for his ultimate demise.
My advice? Go out and see a new band or artist. Get up off your ass and away
from your computer and get into a club that supports the music scene.
Make that connection. I await
your comments. Let the beating of the drums begin.
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