On joining Resonate
Questions of agency, whether as an individual, a “user”, or as a musician, are often on my mind. The more platforms and technologies I end up using, the more questions I have, particularly as a millennial who first signed up to Facebook as a teen without knowing what I was getting myself into — though how many of us actually did?
In one of my jobs as a music journalist, I spoke to an artist recently who lamented the way people listen now, versus how they did 30 years ago. Call it nostalgia if you want, but I think their point begs some pressing questions. Since the heyday of torrenting music, many younger listeners have become accustomed to not paying for music, and this has played a substantial part in shaping how we listen to music today. Whether streaming on Youtube (and downloading from Youtube-mp3), or mooching off of friends’ Spotify accounts, many people expect to hear music for free, or at a minimal cost. I also know a number of smaller artists who feel a pressure to make their music available for free. This I understand — not having a disposable income should not bar access to art, but on the other hand, artists need to be able to make a living. So what is to be done? At a frightening moment where much of the money spent by indie music fans on Spotify ends up in “the pockets of major pop artists like Calvin Harris, Meghan Trainor, Maroon 5 and Avicii,” how can we ensure that lesser-known artists get paid fairly, and can continue to make music? What structures will support independent artists and labels?
I’m pleased to be a part of Resonate’s effort to build a new music ecosystem, and to rewire the way we listen to and engage with music. With a commitment to transparency and open-source at the forefront of its design, as well as its co-operative business model, Resonate marks a refreshing break from the “surveillance-capitalism” world we live in. Of course, no technology is utopic — Resonate advisor Lars Holdus has outlined some potentially worrisome implications of implementing blockchain technology in music, but I do firmly believe that pursuing a platform that gives musicians flexibility, agency and fair pay is crucial in fostering independent culture.
Music and art have long been sites were meaningful discussions around politics can be had — where protest can take new forms, and agency can be pursued. However, in the world we live in today, these spheres seem to be increasingly beholden to corporate monoliths. The playing field isn’t level, and things are tough for newer, less-established artists. It’s definitely about time that those who want to see independent music thrive venture into uncharted territory to try to make that happen.
