Cayocosta
Too many choices.
Where radio and television once provided the filter mechanism whereby the best of new music was disseminated, artists today are now faced with an environment that places the onus largely on the consumer to find the music he or she most appreciates; and with the continued roll-out of music portals and services featuring potentially disparate content, it's probably not going to get any easier for listeners to discover new music in the near-term.
However, it's highly likely that we'll eventually reach a point somewhere down the road whereby the entire library of popular-music will be made available via streaming from a variety of providers offering one-stop solutions.
As wonderful a scenario this might appear to be from a convenience standpoint for music consumers; and with regard to distribution, for artists (as they would also benefit, as music streaming subscription services would facilitate a truly level playing field, for every artist’s music would be equally available to everyone from a single point of origin); listeners may ultimately find themselves in an environment where new music is even more difficult to discover than today; and artists, a platform significantly more competitive in which to promote their work.
As even viral propagation is predicated upon a critical mass of enthusiasts, how then could any particular track attain sufficient visibility in a virtual ocean of music?
The answer is sponsorship.
Therefore, it stands to reason that those artists with corporate support and/or major record company representation will rise above the fray and experience an otherwise disproportionate share of visibility. For then, as now, such artists will continue to reap the benefits of promotional expertise, influence, capital funding, and horizontal integration; whereas independent artists, relying primarily upon the Internet to promote themselves, will find that the low barriers to entry continue to result in their being lost at sea.
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