I doubt many of you will read this before tomorrow's exam but I just saw this on MSN news and thought it would be worth knowing.
We've talked a lot about how the internet has changed the way we listen to music and also about how these changes could be damaging to the industry. Undeniably, the internet offers artists a range of ways to promote themselves and it allows a wider audience to enjoy their music; however this 'enjoyment' is rarely paid for and single sales have suffered as a result. We've looked at the ways in which artists have tried to combat this, but the 'success' of an artist is still judged by their position in the weekly single and album sales charts. Having a streaming chart changes this. The article says that Ed Sheeran was the most streamed artist of the year last year. Whilst he has had successful album sales, most people wouldn't compare him to artists like Lady Gaga or Beyonce in terms of influence - yet we are watching him more. A streaming chart could be a more accurate reflection of what we're actually listening to. It's a bit like the 'Pop Powerlist' compiled by T4, which didn't simply equate power to money but also considered things like followers on social networking sites. Surely, as the music industry changes to meet the demands of new technology, the way in which we measure the success of artists must change too?
Good luck tomorrow! :-)
