Sharing At the Smorgasbord

Examining the modern corporate promotion scheme reveals another factor of culpability in the disintegration of zeal for today’s artists.  Modern-day brand loyalty today is usually rewarded, however its illusory nature goes undetected.  Frequent flyer miles, points, cash back, and other such gimmicks create the false impression of loyalty; however, true fan devotion used to be its own reward.  Supporters of “undiscovered” music always knew what their treasure was.  They savored, supported, promoted, and even shared it.  In recent years, “sharing” implied something different.

Another explanation for erosion to artist dedication can be found in investigating the mindset behind distribution of music via the MP3 format (its beginnings date back to the days of 45s--singles), which is so widespread today among the “forward-looking” listeners.  By offering the opportunity to take only the “desired song (or songs),” buyers aren’t exposed to the other tracks from the act that may entice further attention and create a new and wider audience.  It allows listeners to fast-forward to only the favorite parts and leave the rest. 

Steven Tyler decries Internet downloading he sees it cheapen Aerosmith’s catalog.  Yet, younger musicians such as Radiohead seek alternative distribution possibilities via the Internet.  It is important to note that music appreciation by smorgasbord does not require the same outmoded dedication that was necessary to listen to both sides of a record (yes, a passé reference).  This piecemeal approach to music appreciation is, at best, superficial not substantive.

Actually, the prevalence of MP3s is more of a reflection on modern society’s attention-span problem.  Doctors have applied swanky acronyms such as ADHD, but at the root of the challenge is how contemporary culture encourages people to be over stimulated (a trip to the local mall will demonstrate this properly) and to pay attention only to that which is liked.  By fostering this pick-and-choose attitude, the social order has deemed it appropriate that, “further research is not necessary.  You already have everything you need to know.”