The labels and radio corporations have been crowding out new music with old stuff they already own since the late 1980s. We had to start a whole new "alternative" music industry then to get out from under their suffocating "Classic Rock" blockade; but then they bought that industry out too.
Nostalgia is now a weapon the past wields against the present and future; + a tool of devious marketing.
I think part of the issue is that in, say 1995, it isn't easy for a song from 1977 to climb the charts. The charts were (I think?) largely derived from what plays on the top 40 radio stations. Top 40 generally wasn't going to play "Dreams" in 1995. Even if they got some requests for it.
I'm not sure it necessarily is a problem - but that people can access songs and great albums that they maybe were unable to in the 70s. If we had Spotify in the 70s for example, I imagine we still would have had new music in the 80s and 90s! I can go back and hear my dad's favorite music and have a better understanding of the context and time period than ever before.
Plus, I wonder how much of the data from the 70s is correct given that most music would have already been owned. Sales of music from the 50s wouldn't be captured, because grandpa owned them already or was past a point in life from buying new music - that again, he may not be if he had a spotify.
Also so many new bands have such great genre bending music because of this access! New inspiration beyond the radio!
Great analysis. How much of that 20% of pre-2010 songs streamed is holiday songs? What percent of all music listened to today is not going through an accounted revenue stream?
Maybe the rebirth of all these old songs shows that people always want old AND new songs, but that now it is just a lot easier to check 'em all out. I remember how, when I first discovered that I loved Nat King Cole, it was really hard to find his stuff (I was a kid who could not afford albums). I went NUTS when I was given access to my older cousin's Beach Boys and Four Seasons albums (and record player; at home I had to share my sister's).
Top 40 radio was all about playing a few (well, 40) songs over and over, which I found boring. I bet VERY few people are streaming 40 songs at a time today. Music is way too diverse, and music appreciators are too. Mostly a good thing I think. I am not sure it is that much harder to get heard now; maybe it's just harder to get heard a LOT. I think good songs will stand out and, after 20 years, be classics.
Hmm...well a lot of new music tries to pull from old genres. I heard it in Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia pulling from disco and funk. The "Dreams" song was lucky to have a resurgence because of TikTok.
The labels and radio corporations have been crowding out new music with old stuff they already own since the late 1980s. We had to start a whole new "alternative" music industry then to get out from under their suffocating "Classic Rock" blockade; but then they bought that industry out too.
Nostalgia is now a weapon the past wields against the present and future; + a tool of devious marketing.
Never trust corporate appeals to it.
Nervous Norvus lived for many years on Grand Avenue near Downtown Oakland. A true icon!
I think part of the issue is that in, say 1995, it isn't easy for a song from 1977 to climb the charts. The charts were (I think?) largely derived from what plays on the top 40 radio stations. Top 40 generally wasn't going to play "Dreams" in 1995. Even if they got some requests for it.
I'm not sure it necessarily is a problem - but that people can access songs and great albums that they maybe were unable to in the 70s. If we had Spotify in the 70s for example, I imagine we still would have had new music in the 80s and 90s! I can go back and hear my dad's favorite music and have a better understanding of the context and time period than ever before.
Plus, I wonder how much of the data from the 70s is correct given that most music would have already been owned. Sales of music from the 50s wouldn't be captured, because grandpa owned them already or was past a point in life from buying new music - that again, he may not be if he had a spotify.
Also so many new bands have such great genre bending music because of this access! New inspiration beyond the radio!
Great analysis. How much of that 20% of pre-2010 songs streamed is holiday songs? What percent of all music listened to today is not going through an accounted revenue stream?
Maybe the rebirth of all these old songs shows that people always want old AND new songs, but that now it is just a lot easier to check 'em all out. I remember how, when I first discovered that I loved Nat King Cole, it was really hard to find his stuff (I was a kid who could not afford albums). I went NUTS when I was given access to my older cousin's Beach Boys and Four Seasons albums (and record player; at home I had to share my sister's).
Top 40 radio was all about playing a few (well, 40) songs over and over, which I found boring. I bet VERY few people are streaming 40 songs at a time today. Music is way too diverse, and music appreciators are too. Mostly a good thing I think. I am not sure it is that much harder to get heard now; maybe it's just harder to get heard a LOT. I think good songs will stand out and, after 20 years, be classics.
Hmm...well a lot of new music tries to pull from old genres. I heard it in Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia pulling from disco and funk. The "Dreams" song was lucky to have a resurgence because of TikTok.
I assume that “from 2010” doesn’t include much “remastered in 2010”