I love Spotify Wrapped season. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing all my friends' becoming influencers for the day and sharing the same template repeatedly, bragging about how many minutes of music they’ve listened to this year. I’m a guilty man myself; I too get caught up in the craze of counting minutes spent listening (9,995 for me this past year) or analyzing my top artists (Taylor Swift, obviously - who else would it be?). Whether or not you participate in this yearly tradition or simply roll your eyes at yet another passing craze, there is no denying that Spotify has revolutionized the music industry.
Before the streaming titans engulfed the world of music, listening to the newest releases from your favourite artist meant running down to the record store and picking up their latest vinyl, cassette or CD. Music was a physical entity – you had to buy the entire album if you wanted to hear your favourite song, as you couldn’t access tracks with the click of a button. Today, Spotify and Apple music run the world of music, but 20 years ago, listeners and artists alike were at the mercy of the music titan of that era - record labels.
For a new artist in the 1900s, ‘making it big’ in the music industry was a near impossible task without the help of a record label. Since the public could only access physical copies of an artist’s music, breaking into the industry was an expensive process that involved paying for a quality recording studio as well as the various physical formats of the music. Even if an artist could secure the funding to record and produce an album, there was no guarantee that the record would succeed. The sale of a vinyl meant a customer was purchasing the entire album and not just a single track, so the popularity of a record was heavily dependent on the strength of the single being played on the radio. This in turn required more funding from the artist, on top of all the recording, production and marketing costs. Signing a deal with a record label was key to an artist’s success, as they provided the necessary funds to provide their music to the consumer.
But signing a deal with a record label wasn’t all sunshine and daisies. Artists who signed under record labels were limited in what they could record or not, as the label would only provide funding for music they deemed to have the potential to be successful. This placed immense pressure on an artist’s music to be successful. A flop record could lead to an advance evaporating out of thin air, the label simply dropping the artist or restricting the music an artist wanted to put out. But for an independent artist in the era of physical music, it was the best - and often the only option.
Tides turned for independent artists with the rise of the internet and streaming services. Gone were the days of music being solely a physical good. Instead, consumers could now browse through an artist’s entire discography and cherry-pick their favourite songs. The release of new music saw fans staying up until midnight to stream the new album, rather than taking a trip to the record store and purchasing the latest release. With streaming services providing an endless supply of content to the public, focus in the music industry shifted from one of promoting the music, to one of promoting the artist.
The release of the single Thrift Shop in 2012 marked a turning point in the evolution of the music industry. With its release, the hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis became the first independent artists in the 21st century to top the Billboard Top 100, beating out notable names like Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift in the process. This was a success story for not only the artists, but the entire community of independent artists. Macklemore and Lewis were the first of a long line of independent artists to find their way onto the Billboard Top 100, all thanks to the help of one key tool; social media.
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were all growing in popularity in the late 2000s, and by the time Macklemore and Ryan Lewis had released Thrift Shop, these online platforms provided them with an alternative way of connecting with their fans - the internet. Previously, any connection between an artist and their fans was regulated and initiated by the record labels, who served as intermediates. Nowadays, with direct access to followers at their fingertips, it is much easier to form a connection with fans as an artist and build a strong support for their music. That was the case with Macklemore and Lewis, who alongside developing their musical abilities, cultivated a strong online presence on YouTube, Twitter and Tumblr that eventually helped propel them to number 1. Although Thrift Shop was officially released with Macklemore’s entire third album, the music video, which was responsible for much of the song’s success, was posted directly to his own YouTube channel.
More artists have followed a similar formula to find success as independent artists. Does the name Chance the Rapper ring a bell? Or have you seen an album cover of Frank Ocean’s Blond album at a poster fair or corner store? Both of those artists made it to the big leagues without the backing of a major record label, something they could have only dreamed of without the internet and social media. With Spotify and other streaming services providing an easy and direct way of releasing music, it is more possible than ever before to forge your own way in the music industry as an independent artist.
So, although some may find Spotify Wrapped season irritating and insufferable, we can at least appreciate that thanks to streaming services, more artists can put their music into the ears of listeners. Yes, it’s still an uphill battle for an independent artist to make it without the help of a record label, but the slope is a lot less steep now than it was 10 years ago. Love it or hate it, Spotify is here to stay, at least for the time being, and Wrapped season will inevitably come around again next December. But, for me at least, this isn’t about celebrating my 9,995 minutes of listening but rather appreciating that thanks to streaming services, more young artists and talented musicians can pursue their dreams. That’s the real beauty of your Spotify Wrapped.