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Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?

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Re: Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?

#11

Post by ponker »

toby wrote: post #10

This article says that the Top 40 has dropped from 35mm to 30mm plays on a Wednesday. Then it says: "The decline is likely partially the result of an overall decrease in streaming after Covid-19 hit the US, due to the absence of people listening to music on commutes and in stores. But it’s not just that. The biggest hits are declining, while the streaming of smaller hits remains about the same." Seems like it could b…

There’s also a different mix of music by listening scenario. I mostly listen to Top 40 and similar garbage while I’m commuting because I’m not that discerning. But the people who are true music aficionados are probably continuing to listen to their obscure music even when not commuting.

Re: Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?

#12

Post by Barrin92 »

duxup wrote: post #8
1vuio0pswjnm7 wrote: post #6

"In a seminal 2004 essay in Wired titled "The Long Tail," journalist Chris Anderson argued that digital culture would help niche music, books, and movies thrive. With fewer gatekeepers and more avenues to find likeminded fans, people would be more likely to indulge their true interests, rather than just accept what was offered by the mainstream." Nice idea, there is some truth to it based on what we've seen so far, b…

Doesn't the article indicate...the long tail might be true?

somewhat but the decline seems relatively small. My intuition is that the dynamics of digital content lower the barrier for new talent to go very quickly to the top, think Billie Eilish and her brother producing an album out of their bedroom, but that the centralisation still means most eyeballs go to the top, maybe that part even got worse given how monotonous viral spread is.

I don't think there is much indication that there is a broad shift from the top to the middle. Other mediums like Youtube and Twitch almost exclusively concentrate attention at the top as well, with IIRC two thirds of streamers not even having any viewers.

Re: Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?

#14

Post by baron816 »

> While blockbuster movies are only growing in importance...

Obviously, there have been no real blockbusters released this year. I don’t have evidence, but for me it seems like indie movies are thriving. The Streamers are all pouring money into original movies—I can’t think of a single movie that Netflix, Prime, or Hulu has produced that was a sequel.

Re: Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?

#17

Post by dehrmann »

ponker wrote: post #11
toby wrote: post #10

This article says that the Top 40 has dropped from 35mm to 30mm plays on a Wednesday. Then it says: "The decline is likely partially the result of an overall decrease in streaming after Covid-19 hit the US, due to the absence of people listening to music on commutes and in stores. But it’s not just that. The biggest hits are declining, while the streaming of smaller hits remains about the same." Seems like it could b…

There’s also a different mix of music by listening scenario. I mostly listen to Top 40 and similar garbage while I’m commuting because I’m not that discerning. But the people who are true music aficionados are probably continuing to listen to their obscure music even when not commuting.

Not just scenario, but during crises, people tend to go for the familiar, so older tracks might have done relatively better than before. Spotify users might also be skewing a bit older than they used to as streaming adoption grows, but this is just a guess, and older users tent to use Apple Music.

Re: Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?

#18

Post by teruakohatu »

baron816 wrote: post #14

> While blockbuster movies are only growing in importance... Obviously, there have been no real blockbusters released this year. I don’t have evidence, but for me it seems like indie movies are thriving. The Streamers are all pouring money into original movies—I can’t think of a single movie that Netflix, Prime, or Hulu has produced that was a sequel.

You need to create originals before you can cash in on sequels. Or buy them eg. Disney buying Marvel for $4b and making $18 billion 10 years later from the IP.

Off the top of my head a Netflix original Christmas movie has had two sequels.

Re: Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?

#19

Post by Cactus2018 »

baron816 wrote: post #14

> While blockbuster movies are only growing in importance... Obviously, there have been no real blockbusters released this year. I don’t have evidence, but for me it seems like indie movies are thriving. The Streamers are all pouring money into original movies—I can’t think of a single movie that Netflix, Prime, or Hulu has produced that was a sequel.

Speaking of blockbuster sequels. Look at these crazy dollar amounts, especially the Avengers franchise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_super...

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