Earlier this week, a friend of mine very kindly offered up a pair of tickets to see a band at a really nice (and pretty large) Los Angeles venue. The band in question has over 2 million monthly Spotify listeners, over a 1/4 million Instagram followers and I’ve NEVER heard of them. When asking other friends and my bandmates if they’d like the tickets, they were all flummoxed that I had never heard of this band. NO, I wont say what band because that’s not the point. The point is, my diet of modern music has been akin to a prison diet. I’ll listen if I have to, otherwise I starve. Why, though?
It’s strange to say I never listen to music, because that’s not true. I DO listen to music, but it is not very often, it’s limited in its scope and very seldom am I seeking anything new out. I am either listening as a form of practice (learning songs on drums before a gig) or just background while I study or read. However, these habits and behaviors are not unlike many people these days. Technology (ie; streaming on Spotify) has given us choice paralysis and a devaluing of discovery and more importantly, patience. With almost literally every song at your fingertips, how are you to find something new when you know you can rely on something you already know? Also, if you don’t like something within 2 seconds, you can skip it and not give the song the time needed. It’s the same for Netflix and stream watching. I have been guilty of and know many who scroll forever to find something to watch only to put on something they’ve already seen 100 times, or like me, give up and turn off the TV. I do the same with music. It’s too much to bare, so I turn it off and let silence (or a podcast or book on tape) take over.
In his 2016 essay, Peter Godfrey Smith wrote that:
“Each creative field operates through an interaction between two sets of behaviours, roles that are modified in each case by quirks of the practice and its market. That basic duality is between making and consuming, writing and reading, playing and listening….In the case of music, the threat comes less from amateur creativity than from new behaviors on the consumer side, and from new businesses mediating between performers and listeners.”
My behavior can be paralleled with this. My listening to music as a background can be seen as devaluation of it. I listen to what my friends and I used to call “non-music” now, which is a mix between ambient tones and “lo-fi study music” as a way to keep it from distracting me. I can’t listen actively to music and do anything else. In fact, as I write this, I had to turn off Hollie Cook’s new record, as it was too distracting. To that, Smith also notes:
“Along with the sheer devaluing of musical production came the steady relegation of music to background. The increase in music’s background presence is made possible by technology, and people then become accustomed to it in that role; music becomes less and less a natural focus of attention.”
It’s scary to admit this as an active semi-professional musician, but it’s the truth. Beyond just not valuing music due to cultural shifts, there’s a personal piece to this puzzle that I tend to ruminate on quite a bit these days. The fact that I don’t know many new artists or tend to shrug off most suggestions is that I feel I am in many ways OVER music. In other words, I’ll never stop performing or writing or loving it, but the way in which I consumed and sought out music is not prevalent to me anymore. I don’t NEED it like I used to, in fact, may even resent it in a lot of ways. There is a heavy load that can come with music for me internally. There’s ego, professional disappointment, jealousy and sadly, bitterness. I have burned many bridges, lost friends, lovers and have traumatic experiences correlated with music. It leaves a black cloud that is sometimes hard to dodge. I know many people who have succeeded in music far past I have and as proud of them as I am, it doesn’t make it sting less to my (seemingly) fragile ego. But I am evolving every day and I understand it’s all relative and the decisions I have made led me to where I am. Im neither mad nor bitter, frankly. In fact, I’m thankful for where I am. Im just observing my thoughts. As the kids say "#noregrets”
I only write this now because I found it funny to be so blissfully unaware of a band so large only to listen to the music, not feel much, and turn down a really lovely offer. When I worked at Tower Records for many years, I knew ALL the new bands and devoutly devoured all of it. Now, these names of groups pass through like a fart in the wind. It’s ok though. Luckily music creation isn’t going anywhere. All I have to do is shift my behaviors a bit more. I love to discover and selfishly, I want to be the discoveree as well. I hope my bands new record can do that for others, even if it’s a fraction of what my skewed unrealistic expectations are. I really do want to pay it forward and “get back in the game” and see what’s out there. I may be bored with rock type stuff in general, but that doesn’t mean I can’t discover new hip hop records or a new cumbia band. Maybe it’s not so bad to crate dig on the internet. It may not as fun as a literal crate dig at a shop or sharing mix tapes with friends, but it’s what we have and as a consumer, I gotta be more mindful to the creators if I’m to continue to be one.
Here’s a Spotify list that’s collaborative. Please add a tune or two that you like and we can all share in a discovery like an old mix tape!
Also before you go… This situation in Maui is beyond tragic. Not even our beautiful islands are immune to tragedy and loss. I would assume our government won’t do enough, so I’d like to link up a charity that’s been helping out. Like with any tragedy, any little bit helps. Check out charity navigator and donate to whomever fits for you: https://www.charitynavigator.org/discover-charities/where-to-give/hawaii-fires-2023/
Thanks for reading. Be safe. Be well.
I get it.
I was burned after working as a music journalist for 15 years or whatever. I had stopped enjoying concerts because I was sent to see bands I didn't like. I was cynical and tired.
But I got over it!
It just took finding and getting excited about one new band for it all to return, and without the pressure of having to have a professional "opinion" I was able to consume it purely.
Long may it last, and I hope you get there again one day. If you want to!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qptOZkZaqn711f57WdCF1?si=1c2b37319ed641e4&pt=8ad0cc9fbcfd0f82cf54e890916b6146
If the Spotify link isn't working because im a do-do.