Music Must Serve a Purpose to Resonate and Avoid Being Commodified
UGC: User Generated Content. Some contend that the future of the music industry is about understanding that a transition is underway where fans are no longer passive listeners, but want to move beyond traditional fan consumption towards communicating and connection with established artists and friends through their own creations (increasingly utilizing Artificial Intelligence technology). The predominant result could only generously be considered music, and I’d argue that the barrier to entry for new music is so low as to largely dispel this naive prediction. Very few of those with a home recording system is an actual artist or songwriter and, although a valuable tool, unbridled AI isn’t the solution in and of itself. Music snobbery is an intrinsic and essential characteristic of discerning fans. Consuming music that speaks to, or for, us is part of our identity. The argument that music is becoming a commodity in an egalitarian creator culture is misguided. There have never been plentiful innovators at any given point in time. There are the leaders and those they influence. Similar to the nascent days of Rock `N Roll and Hip Hop, we are currently at an inflection point when there is a void in the direction of popular music and a clear opportunity to lead.
With “professional” music only a fraction of the 100,000 tracks reportedly uploaded each day to DSP’s like Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, what can euphemistically be called the “unqualified” only serves to dilute the royalties of the genuine artists and songwriters. It also serves up repetitive productions with vapid, insipid words (née lyrics) rather than song-based records that emotionally and viscerally touch or inspire us as they once did.
To disrespect true artistry with the trend toward commodifying music is to not only dilute and undermine equitable remuneration. It adds further confusion to the debate about how to best to separate the wheat from the chaff when the chaff is becoming the majority. How do we maximize artist and songwriter revenue for professionals amidst the studies of the predominant Pro Rata System vs Fan-Powered Royalty vs Multiplier strategies being bandied about (it would be reasonable to expect that the labels will ultimately have to relinquish a greater share)?
The most logical answer to restoring music’s value, relevance and viability as a sustainable profession is a return to craftsmanship. It’s axiomatic across all genres. Then power music with new tech to resurrect its influence on societal engagement with calls-to-action rather than its current prevailing direction (with some exceptions) as a reflection of hopeless despair. This is how to create deeper connections between fans and artists. Music infused with metaphorical social impact purpose has the potential of establishing evergreens and igniting causes and brands. All of this is accomplished through a return to intensive artist cultivation, song development, and a groundbreaking level of interaction with social causes, brands and tech, with all components prioritizing the creation of reciprocally beneficial revenue sources.
As one of the first to recognize and act upon the need to relicense songs originally sync licensed only for free TV, in the case of the source songs synced into the hit show “Baywatch,” I helped lead the way in designing the first digital licenses for music publishing and master recording rights at the start of the 2000’s. My music executive luminary resumé that includes years as the co-architect and worldwide EVP of ATV Music (Lennon-McCartney, et al) during its heyday would seem to lend credibility to my offering viable solutions to an industry again befuddled by another sea change. Suffice it to say that there is a need for a paradigm shift in thinking as creative AI, Generative AI, mixed media NFT’s and WEB3 uses emerge. Scraping the Internet for training AI systems has huge consequences for protecting copyrighted music.
The music industry must expeditiously control the uses of Generative AI to circumvent the inevitable misuse of artists’ and songwriters’ works for messaging that is contrary to what was intended by the originator. It’s not difficult to envision a “fake” Kid Rock extolling the virtues of gender assignment in pre-teens who have been medically approved for a transition — a use case that would likely make him apoplectic for supporting an issue he opposes. Or, God forbid, someone misrepresenting and undermining a song about gun control.
AI, authorized and licensed properly, can enhance sync licensing to targeted geo-demographic audiences, catalyze musician and fan experiences and connect them for like-minded activities (think voting), despite detractors and luddites’ unfounded fears. Generative AI is also capable of adding value to music, corresponding artwork and NFT’s if it is approved and thoughtfully licensed (otherwise, if left unchecked, it will only add to the deluge of music of questionable value contributing to an acknowledged growing wasteland of pop music and will further subsume quality). I suggest that creative Generative AI collaborations could potentially be tantamount to the cover song placements of days past.
Another of many examples of major untapped revenue sources for music in WEB3 is evident in combination with visual art. The album artwork that added so much value to the fan experience can now be parlayed through the use of socially conscious PFP NFT’s (profile picture and/or proof of physical ownership non-fungible tokens) that include music for a purpose. NFT and visual art partners bring new ideas to the combination of music and artwork that amplify both. Further illustrating new avenues for music are discussions with a renowned Broadway fashion designer with innovations in the WEB3 universe to explore opportunities to dress avatars in the Metaverse and NFT’s in ways that have additional lucrative potential, particularly in the realm of Name, Image & Likeness licensing. This approach not only allows the creation of unique and engaging experiences for fans, but also portends extension of the monetization of artwork and music into the realm of social good. We can anticipate additional attention (and revenue derived from donations) to the related social cause, as well as from brand advertisers. The revenue from these sources will be shared with the art and music creators, providing them with a new stream of income.
Purpose has become increasingly important for businesses and their marketing strategies in recent years. Be reminded that the music business is actually a business. In the past, businesses focused primarily on profitability and growth as their main objectives, and marketing was often geared towards promoting products or services without much consideration for the impact on society and the environment. However, as consumers have become more socially and environmentally conscious, the importance of purpose-driven marketing has grown.
One major reason for the shift towards purpose-driven marketing is the rise of the Millennial and Gen Z generations. These groups are known for placing a high value on social responsibility and sustainability, and they are more likely to support businesses that align with their values. According to a study by Cone Communications, 64% of Millennials and 75% of Gen Z believe that businesses should contribute to society beyond just making a profit. Perhaps most importantly, there is an inverse ratio to prejudice and bias with each new generation which will dramatically influence voting and politics.
In addition to consumer demand, there are also external pressures on businesses to operate with purpose. Governments and regulatory bodies are increasingly implementing laws and regulations to encourage or enforce responsible business practices. For example, the United Nations has established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework for businesses to operate in a way that contributes to a more sustainable future.
Overall, the importance of purpose for businesses and their marketing strategies has grown significantly compared to years ago. Businesses that prioritize social and environmental responsibility are better positioned to appeal to consumers, comply with regulations, attract top talent, and navigate challenges. As such, purpose-driven marketing has become a key aspect of modern business strategy.
If you are empathetic and sentient like many of us, you share our visceral awareness that despair is no match for positive social activism propelled by #Music4APurpose (songs that metaphorically elicit thought in addition to being entertaining). You’ve probably recognized the above qualities in yourself that range from perceiving the feelings of animals and other living organisms, or becoming intensely angry, frustrated or tearful about current events tearing at traditional, universal values that benefit us all. You’ll feel compelled to join our rapidly growing constituency who are passionate about harnessing the emotional power of music as a unique catalyst to connect artists and songwriters with grassroots fans to causes and supportive business brands. You’ll want to become the inertia that rallies an end to tribalism fueled by provocateur entertainers on ersatz television news broadcasts, and promoted by contrarian partisan politicians. You’ll act to inspire a return to civil dialogue and solutions agreeable to reasonable people.
As we think about how and why we have devolved into a culture where reasonable people can no longer agree to disagree and then work to compromise on a resolution, we must be reminded of the disservice we do to “The Greatest Generation,” of which so many fought and died, and which we now betray. In a society where we are no longer surprised about, but accepting of the chances of being randomly shot, where dangerous disinformation, divisiveness and disrespect has become politics as usual, where vile discrimination and white supremacy “accelerationism and replacement theory” terrorism runs rampant, and voting rights, women’s rights and education are all challenged, we cannot be silent.
Music can obviously be immensely entertaining, but is arguably less meaningful or impactful without an altruistic purpose at its core, with its ability to inspire, whether lyrical or instrumental. The most effective purpose is a thought-provoking “Call-to-Action,” be it about interpersonal relationships or social responsibility. The music industry has ostensibly forgotten this and has lost its way at a time it can least afford to be directionless (when technology threatens to progressively erode its oligopoly structure ever more rapidly).
We were very saddened by the recent passing of music giant, Barrett Strong. His legacy of hit songs with the late Norman Whitfield (and others) is extraordinary and will live on forever. Of their many masterpieces, “Ball of Confusion” is perhaps even more relevant today than it was in 1970 when The Temptations brought us this ground-breaking, insightful smash. The late 1960’s and 70’s were conducive to socially conscious songs and there were many that deeply influenced us. We suggest that our currrent local and world events are equally, if not more, ripe for #MusicForAPurpose as they were during that volatile period.
By uniting music and social impact, we can empower artists and songwriters to make a difference and thrive. Together, we are the antithesis of apathetic. There is much about which to be concerned and which we should be able to find solutions. In addition to the urgency of quelling gun violence and banning assault rifles, we are initially focusing on Equal Rights, Social Justice (and DEI); Voting Rights and Democracy; Cancer and other medical research; Anti-discrimination, Anti-semitism, Mental Health Support (Bullying; Self-harm); and Animal Rights Advocacy (and restrictions on hunting and weapons used, supported by research).
Together, we can use the power of music to create meaningful change and make our communities safer with opportunities for everyone. Let’s have our music once again serve to demand action from our elected officials and work towards a future where incidents like the Nashville shootings are a thing of the past. Let’s engage local communities with socially impactful music by working closely with community leaders in addition to organizations dedicated to social good. These leaders have a deep understanding of the hyperlocal issues and causes that are important to their communities and can help us identify and connect with emerging local artists and songwriters who are passionate about these issues. Perhaps some will also aspire to be groomed as music managers through associations with industry mentors that we can facilitate. This network of local “Musicpreneurs” can help us cultivate and promote socially poignant music from their communities into global assets.
We believe that by creating music that is not only entertaining, but also meaningful and purposeful, we can activate a new generation of socially driven music fans and reconnect with the older demographic of music fans who have become disenfranchised by the current state of “music” promoted by the music industry writ large. Caring about a social issue is not a one-off concert, but instead requires interaction on a daily basis. Our mission accomplishes this while also bringing the solution to the desire for genuine artist-fan direct interaction.
Ultimately, this is an ambitious and innovative proposal that seeks to achieve best use of music and technology to create positive social change. (Of course, we’ll also develop customary love song themes, albeit hopefully more thought-provoking). What distinguishes it is that it seeks to use music as a powerful tool for social impact on a daily basis rather than the obligatory congregating around the occasional disaster. With a focus on working with music artists and songwriters to create themes that engage audiences in daily, consistent activism motivated by a return to quality song messaging first and then production, together we can improve the livelihoods of music creators while connecting them to positive social causes for reciprocal benefit and notable change.
