The purpose of music has always been the same. It helps people get in a better mood, relieve stress, or enjoy the perfect sound and lyrics.
People imitated nature’s sounds when primitive instruments were invented, but they soon found out they could sing together with the melody. It was a long process, and now we have the music industry we know.
A lot of things have changed in the last 20 years. We can see a massive difference if we compare today’s music industry with that of 50 years ago. We can’t go against the trends, and things will change even more.
So, let’s see the predictions and how they can be compared to today’s situation.
What Is the Future of Music?
Before we make our predictions for the future of music, it’s valuable to mention that these trends change as time goes by. Nevertheless, there are still highly accurate because even though the music industry is changing, even this industry doesn’t change as rapidly as one might think.
Let’s begin our list with one of the essentials, the lyrics.
Simple and Engaging Lyrics
In the 60s, 70s, 80s, and even 90s, lyrics were a work of poetry. We can often see comparing “Bohemian Rhapsody” with Beyoncé’s “Run the World,” but even though the first one is a true masterpiece, Beyonce made a catchier and more fun song. The thing is, today, we have even catchier songs but no lyrical approach at all. Still, the songs sound engaging and motivational.
We can blame social media because we are limited to telling more in fewer words, primarily when we use Twitter. People today tend to avoid reading long texts. They want something to help them relax instead of making them rethink their whole life and most recent decisions.
Don’t get this wrong, there are many poets among songwriters, but no one can deny that young people today are more about rhythm.
Song and Album Distribution
You probably have some vinyl records and CDs at home you haven’t played for decades. Artists today choose to distribute their music using different online channels.
Many of them decide to launch a new single or a whole album on Spotify or Apple Music. One of the most popular stars nowadays, Bad Bunny, released his first songs using SoundCloud. Many local bands publish their music on Facebook or YouTube, hoping that some label will approach them or they will at least become viral.
On TikTok, we can see a large number of promising music talents. For example, Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo first became viral on TikTok before they attracted an audience.
But what the future of music brings?
Many bands and artists still prefer to launch their music through streaming services and social media before they sign up with a major label. Some can even finance their albums alone, thanks to social media monetization.
So, is that the end for music labels? Probably not, but they are not as huge as they were before.
People Will Crave for Real Live Concerts
No matter how things change, one thing is always the same – the live concerts and festivals are the audience’s favorites.
Today we can watch live streams or even embrace virtual reality, but nothing can beat up the excitement and happiness we feel during live performances.
Since 2020, the situation has been bad for the musicians, but in 2022, they used every chance to book their tours. So, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and many more have already scheduled their next live gigs. We hope the situation will be good for them and they won’t have to reschedule the events.
Even though technology has a massive influence in reshaping the future of music, audiences will prefer live concerts over VR events.
No More Language Barriers
Music doesn’t know borders and barriers. Language shouldn’t be the reason not to enjoy something so beautiful. Artists often felt pushed to record in English, even though it’s not their mother tongue.
But do you see Bad Bunny? He sings in Spanish and Spanglish, but the audience worldwide is crazy about him. Enrique Iglesias started his career with Spanish songs, and so did Shakira.
Recently, Christina Aguilera released an album in Spanish too. Jennifer Lopez did that a few years ago. Many world-recognized artists sing in their language, like the Belgian musician Stromae. He usually sings in French, rediscovering the 90s Eurodance over and over again.
We hope that in the future of music, we will listen to more authentic music with more authentic cultural elements written in native languages.
Online Monetization for Everyone
Getting in the studio, recording, launching a new album, music videos, and live concerts can be exhausting for the artists.
But compared to the 70s and 80s, today’s music stars are more relaxed when it comes to earning money. They can easily monetize their work online, offering their music on social media and streaming services.
In 2020, the worst year we remember, many artists survived thanks to online tipping. The music experience of the future won’t include albums and TV promotions, at least not as much.
The bands will still earn enough money to record and release new music. Productions and labels probably dislike these predictions for the future of music, but this way is much easier for the musicians.
AI Will Take Most of the Credits
It’s so easy today having artificial intelligence by our side. It may ease the whole job, and it’s the future of the music industry. The producers will only have to give some parameters to the machine and use the pre-recorded vocals, and there it is – a completely new song.
The AI can help to add more instrument samples, and voice effects, making the whole piece more colorful and polarising. Algorithms will generate new music and even write an entire song if needed. Yes, today’s technology is that smart. We can tell the machine the central theme, and it will write the whole unique lyrics for the appropriate music sample.
The future of music streaming is also based on AI performance. It would be enough to listen to only one song and a whole playlist will be generated, following your style and preferences.
Revival of the Past
Hopefully, the new technologies and AI will let us visit concerts of deceased musicians. Indeed we had some holographic performances in the past, but can you imagine a complete Michael Jackson or Amy Winehouse gig as one of the highest points the future of music may reach?
And when we are in the future, we will crave the time when music was all about instruments, live performances, and raw emotions. Things are changing, but people are always nostalgic, including for the bands and performers we’ve never seen.
Luckily, music is diverse, and some styles, instruments, and vocal skills will stay forever. The thing is that even those who are not talented will have a chance to pursue a music career using the tech solutions of the future of music.
Big Crossovers Between Music and Other Industries
We can’t imagine a movie without a soundtrack or a game without a theme song. But we expect that in the future, many industries will overlap with music, creating new markets and options for artists.
People will consume music while working, traveling, and during meetings.
We can even see it included in games and online gambling services. Even doctors, astronauts, scientists, and developers work while listening to music.
Musicians will compose music for different purposes, not just for entertainment. Many industries will cross their path with music, creating new products and options for the people of the future.
What Is the Future of Music Holding for Us?
There are so many predictions, and we can’t say anything for sure. Still, we hope there will be more live concerts in the coming years. Also, we want many artists to announce their comeback and offer something new to their loyal fans.
Streaming platforms are also on fire, but some still enjoy the sound of vinyl or CDs. Maybe the future will save them, or perhaps they will die; no one can ever tell.
But we can tell that music will heal many souls and help many people go through their life-changing experiences. Music is here to entertain and help us rehab and calm down.
Today we can only speculate what would happen with AI-generated music or VR concerts. But they are part of the future of music, and we need to be ready for all music industry trends.
In the meantime, listen to the music you love and enjoy. And if there is a live concert or a music festival near you, try to catch it so that you will remember that magic!
