Pop Culture Isn't Broken, But It's Different

The attention commanded by social media—the center of today's pop culture—is the biggest reason why it's harder for artists to break through the noise. Not the often-cited tens of thousands of tracks uploaded to streaming services daily. Most of those are from hobbyists with less than 10 streams on Spotify. They're not blocking your favorite artist... See more

Music has always adapted to the culture enabled by its dominant format . When radio was king, you needed to grab attention in the first 15 seconds or risk getting skipped. But radio DJs were gatekeepers who could champion unique picks to their taste if they believed in them. When Jay-Z and Kanye West 's “Otis” premiered in 2011, Funkmaster Flex pla... See more