Is technology making it harder or easier for new music artists?

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The music industry has evolved significantly over the past century. If you look back at the technologies that came out in that era like electric guitars, synths, amplifiers, records, tapes, CDs, MP3s, etc., they all helped in the long run.

Even less established technologies, such as minidiscs, did not have a negative impact on the industry.

But is the future that positive?

It is unlikely that an invention as revolutionary and physical as the electric guitar will emerge. Today's technological advancements are more software-based.

Euronews Culture spoke to Niall Dorey, founder of Barcelona's Future Music Forum, about whether the intersection of technology and music will continue to be a saving grace for artists.

What are the most exciting technology developments in the music industry right now?

Niall Dooley: This is a very good time to enter the industry when it comes to additive and disruptive technologies.

When you say the word technology, people automatically jump to the word. A.I.. AI production is a great tool these days. I think it's either been framed incorrectly or the narrative in the media is wrong. It has negative connotations, like a destructive tool. That's true, but I see it as an additional tool to what the artist is doing. You too can become a music producer and take advantage of AI In the future everyone will do it, otherwise you won't and will be left behind.

Spatial sounds and soundscapes are currently receiving a lot of attention in the industry. [With] Dolby Atmos enables producers to achieve levels of sound production never before possible.I'll jump into that too Recently, music has had a big impact on the field of mental health.

Are there any technological innovations that are putting the music industry at risk?

Niall Dooley: “Deep fake” This is the bingo word at the moment when we think about what we're seeing and whether it's real. That kind of thing slips into the world of rights, Who is getting paid for this?

There's also a great technology coming out called Bandapp that we're actually going out into the field and discovering. streaming scam, that's a big thing. I recently came across a statistic that around 15% of his music on streaming platforms is fraudulent, which is a huge number considering the number of streams he streams per day.

Shout out to an amazing company called Unison based in Barcelona. [artists] through blockchain technology. With so many platforms now, artists need to properly manage their rights.

Are streaming platforms like Spotify good or bad for the music industry?

Niall Dooley: Streaming is a tool.it's another part of the tool[box]use it like that.

If you look back to the mid-1990s, when Napster and LimeWire came out, piracy was rampant. [Spotify] Obviously there will be improvements, but please keep in mind spotify was released in 2008 and is still something of a teenager. [There’s] There is a lot to improve, but we are seeing more and more decentralized platforms like Audius, a decentralized platform where artists get paid more.

SoundCloud is now also implementing fan-powered rights, allowing more musicians to be properly compensated in Spotify's old ethos of generative and collective payments.

A few years ago, everyone was (briefly) talking about NFTS. What does the future hold for additional revenue generation for artists?

Niall Dooley: So artists have a lot of different income streams now, but live gigs are number one and that's where they make their money.But on the flip side, there's also something like 8. mega festival It was canceled in the UK this summer due to supply, demand and cost considerations. So, it's a bit of a quagmire at the moment.

There is something really huge The return of physical vinyl. It's a huge renaissance due to nostalgia, so bands can make money off of it.

I have a sync [licensing] – There's a lot of content out there that requires music these days, so it's very important to sync and properly license your music. (A sync license is when a song or instrumental version is used in television, film, or advertising. Licensing songs for use in advertising is an especially big source of income for artists.)

But it all comes down to that world of fandom. Artists need to focus on fandom, create superfans, and create their own tribe. Because I think the era of superstars is probably over. In the world of music, very few people can do that. [sell out stadiums] So I think artists can now find their tribe and use all the tools that are online to create a fandom. And if he has 200 or he has 300 super fans. Goods releasethey can keep you at a small level when you're releasing music.

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Which up-and-coming artists in Spain should we look out for and keep an eye on?

Niall Dooley: There is a real hotbed of talent here. Spain is something of a springboard for many Latin Americans to expand into Europe. My bookers are always scouring the city's clubs for the next talent.

There are a few bands I want to keep an eye on. Perhaps less well-known, but operating below the surface, is a very talented group including: laguna goons Based in Malaga, Shira Rua He is currently based in Madrid. Marina Tusset He is a local Catalan artist who just won the Latin Grammy Award last November. lauren nine He's another artist who's doing really good things and is starting to make the leap internationally and is another great artist to be called here. Cece From my beloved Venezuela.

Future Music Forum Barcelona is an annual event founded 14 years ago that brings together the music industry's brightest minds to discuss how technology is shaping the future.