The Culture of streaming

Streaming content particularly music and film/TV media have completely revolutionized the way we as a society Interact with different forms of media. In this piece we want to explore how streaming has changed things for the better and sometimes complicated matters in the world of entertainment.

With the advent of the Internet, everything changed once Napster, Myspace and eventually iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify and all the other platforms currently recognized became available through various mobile devices. What this meant for the entertainment world was that now releases for all kinds of content could be produced and sent out to the masses by individual talents and independent teams.

This new wave created an explosion of creatives and kick started a generation of DIY artists. The waves have come and gone with time but due to the platforms becoming so accessible outside of the control of labels and big studios many artists we know and love today were able to break out into the big leagues. So what's to come next with accessibility in the world of streaming?

We may continue to see a hybridization of various forms of content as platforms like Spotify embrace podcasts and talk shows in addition to music as their primary option. On YouTube we're seeing more and more artists do exclusive releases in addition to music videos and visualizers that compliment their releases. When things collapsed in the live performance sector during the height of COVID we saw many artists get creative and turn to streaming online. Whether through Instagram live, Twitch, YouTube or many of the other platforms, it's an effective way to connect creatives to their fan bases.

Some say things have become too oversaturated to support a healthy entertainment market. Platforms like Tik-Tok which are relatively new in comparison to others are being criticized for pushing formulaic music, stating that it waters down the space while others celebrate the app and it's extension into other social media platforms for opening up opportunities for artists to blow up as their songs get used in high traffic, sometimes viral content.

It's a double edged sword in some ways as the access gives everyone a chance to put themselves out there but also floods the market with cookie cutter content designed to rally interactions versus authentic art that is freely being shared. We will have to look closely as things progress in the future but one thing is for sure, there's never been a better time to be a fan of art in all its many forms, and as access to some of the best creators in the world is at an all time high.

by Cameron Lesesne

@midnytfrequency