The music industry is one of the most successful markets in the world. It has seen a lot of changes over the years. The changes have benefited the industry by propelling artists and making music more accessible to listeners worldwide. From the types of instruments used to the mode of production and availing music to listeners, the market has evolved dramatically. Currently, the music industry’s most significant trends include songs becoming shorter and perhaps the most challenging trend is that genres no longer exist. Artists have become freer and more unrestricted in the type of music they are making. Most of them do not want to be put in a box (genre). Additionally, electronic music has also become a key player in the music industry.
What is electronic music?
Electronic music refers to any music that uses electronic musical instruments and technology in its production. It also uses circuitry-based music technology in its production. Additionally, any music that is modified through electrical means. It is also worth noting that for music to be categorized as electronic, the composer needs to interact with electronic media and electronic processing applied to a musical concept. Electronic music is one of the broadest categories in the modern musical era.
AI Music
Artificial intelligence is one of the latest trends in electronic music technology. AI technology is set to influence areas of the music industry like streaming, production and copyright. According to Google, five companies are currently capable of generating electronic music through artificial intelligence. This is not to say that this type of music does not exist at the moment. AIVA currently features a short playlist of music generated by AI. However, in 2021, more music creators or composers are looking to explore the field of AI music. For people who are not part of the music industry, you may not tell the difference between AI-generated electronic music and the latter. For AI music to take off, collaborators will have to work with AI companies who will license catalogues from artists to feed their machines. Artists may also be commissioned to provide music to be fed to the AI machines which will add some content. From there, the machines will be able to create new music from the materials they are provided with. While there is still a lot to explore about this trend, it is no secret that the AI electronic music trend will become very popular in the music industry in the next year or so.
Direct To Consumer Platforms
2020 has been a troublesome year with adverse impacts on many fronts. The year everything that has happened has significantly affected the music industry. The year has seen the cancellation of all live music tours and music avenues. However, the impacts have been positive for recorded music. Recorded music is one of the most popular trends in electronic music.
For this reason, one of the most significant trends in electronic music this year will be the use of direct to consumer music platforms. Platforms like Bandcamp are set to get very popular because they provide an avenue for artists to sell music to fans directly. These platforms allow artists to sell their music without using distributors or go-betweens. They allow artists to make more money directly. This means that they can compensate in the slightest way for the money lost because of the cancelled shows. With live shows and tours still cancelled, the chances of Direct to consumer music platforms blowing up and becoming more popular are high.
Music in Virtual Reality
The pandemic has significantly propelled VR technology. VR technology has made way for music lovers to experience music in a new and exciting way. It helps bring their imagination to life when all we have in imagination as the world has changed a lot. Composers are looking to explore virtual reality concerts to remedy the lack of live music over the past year. There are many practitioners in the music industry looking to make this a reality in the music industry. Without a doubt, one of the most exciting trends in electronic music to expect this year is music in Virtual Reality.
Rise of Local Repertoires In Streaming
2021 will also see changes in the way listeners consume music. This means that there will be a rise in local repertoires in this streaming age. The chances are that albums will continue to decline as the post-album era is becoming more prominent. The high chances are that generative music will rise as a result of contextual playlists.
Increased Competition
Electronic entertainment has recently become very popular. This area features trends like gaming, videos and electronic music. The growing crossover between the different areas will see a lot of competition to the music industry. The different avenues are also likely to collaborate.
In 2021, you can expect an increase in popularity in electronic music. Naturally, as electronic music becomes more popular, a lot of technology is also developing to make the trend better and more accessible to clients or listeners. Therefore, you can expect the latest trends in electronic music technology like AI music and VR technology in music to become more mainstream. You can also expect the introduction of new technologies to propel the electronic music avenue even further in the next few years.
