The Music Industry Enters Its Less-Is-More Era (bloomberg.com)
- Reference: 0180805376
- News link: https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/26/02/16/1839247/the-music-industry-enters-its-less-is-more-era
- Source link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-02-12/streaming-music-enters-its-less-is-more-era
Streaming services now host 253 million songs, according to Luminate's most recent annual report, after adding 51 million tracks over the course of 2025 at an average pace of 106,000 uploads a day. Spotify has already responded by requiring songs to hit at least 1,000 plays in the previous 12 months to qualify for royalties, and Luminate reported that 88% of tracks received 1,000 or fewer plays in 2025.
The distribution layer is in flux too: Universal Music Group is trying to acquire Downtown Music, owner of DIY distributor CD Baby, TuneCore's head recently stepped down without a planned replacement, and DistroKid is reportedly up for sale.
[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-02-12/streaming-music-enters-its-less-is-more-era
What scares me (Score:2)
Some people dont know the difference between AI generated videos, deepfakes, music, and written content, which to its credit, might be decent at first but then starts to unravel.
If I wanted less I'd listen to Nina Kraviz (Score:1)
As if only AI outputs junk like a cookie factory.
Lest anyone think the problem is just AI slop (Score:3)
The music industry has always earned the majority of its revenue from a small percentage of extremely popular acts. Part of it is that the industry is gatekept to where your music won't be promoted if you're not already well connected, and the other part of it is just human nature over what becomes popular. Some stuff clicks with the masses, and some doesn't, no matter how much money you throw at promoting it (there's plenty of examples of "manufactured" pop stars flopping). It's also a safe assumption that a lot of good music goes unheard too, because it's buried under a mountain of crap and the musician just happens to be a nobody.
That's the entertainment industry for you.
AI music makes your brain uncomfortable (Score:2)
It's not easy to tell AI music from something man made - it maybe sounds "fine" at first, but you will start to feel bad as you listen to it. It's an uncanny effect. Fortunately, I use Apple Music which is (so far) not subject to most of this problem.
can we go back to the 60-80's and maybe the 90's a (Score:2, Troll)
can we go back to the 60-80's and maybe the 90's and just end new music?
Re: can we go back to the 60-80's and maybe the 90 (Score:1)
Are you trying to hurt me?
Re: (Score:2)
I agree. The likes of Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Wagner and Dvorak just can't be beat.
Re: (Score:2)
Most of this stuff I hear thumping from cars today doesn't even sound like music. The lyrics (if you want to call them that) are mostly disgusting too.
Re: (Score:2)
Les Paul and Mary Ford as well as the early Elvis were in the '50s.
Country has been holding up well since the '90s. I just found Ella Langley for instance.
Heart and Fleetwood Mac have retired, Linda Ronstadt has lost her voice, yes, the situation is dire.
Re: (Score:2)
Clearly, you're OLD!