It should be obvious by now that we’re moving towards a completely digital age. With the boom in social media sites, face-to-face interaction is decreasing rapidly. Users now have the ability to socialize, network, or creep on an ex-girlfriend without having to leave the house. The same trend has leaked into our music taste as well. The music industry is becoming more and more about your technological knowledge rather than your natural-born musical talent. I guess we should have seen this one coming. Naturally, fads that start in Europe make their way over to us in about 2-5 years, the latest one being the explosion of electronic music onto the scene in the US.
Electronic music has different subcategories of music that are differentiated by their rhythm and tones—house, electro, and dubstep being the main ones. These have taken the music industry by storm. Traditional hip-hop artists are even growing weary of the future as more and more of them are being forced to use minimal lyrics on house beats that have already been released by major names in the electronic arena. The future promises fewer lyrics from your favorite rappers and hip-hop artists and heavier drops for dubstep fanatics.
On a positive note, the new style of music has opened the door to many new ways to express mood in advertising and marketing. Have you noticed how many commercials are beginning to use house music to portray an upbeat, lively persona for their product to attract a particular demographic of people?
Blackberry recently released a commercial in which they advertised the Blackberry Torch using the artist Diplo and showing how he connects with his fans using social media and BBM while traveling on tour.
Trident Vitality has used Martin Solvieg’s electro hit “Hello” while displaying a carefree girl on a swing with upbeat lively tones in the background.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment uses Skrillex’s single “Reptile” in advertising their newest game: Mortal Kombat 9. It consists of characters in combat paired with the intensity of dubstep music.
All three of these commercials are effective in attracting the demographic of people they’re after by playing their target’s favorite musical genres.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve hopped on the bandwagon just like the rest by fist pumping to the latest electronics hits. I worry, however, that this trend won’t die out like the latest Dior handbag. Instead, I feel this could be the start of a musical era that will grow so popular that traditional musical talent won’t have a part in mainstream radio play.
Just like we’ve seen with our communication, music is using the computer to create digital tones rather than vocals. In years to come, the music that will be foreign to youngsters will be music that has real vocals and real instruments—and the only music they will listen to will come from glorified IT guys.