The Decline of the Music Industry

There was a time when music literacy was, if not the most, one of the noblest of all human endeavors. As recently as one hundred years ago or so there was nary a family that did not include a member who was a moderately accomplished musician; or better. Families gathered to listen to a member perform and often to sing along in reasonably decent harmony.

Irony of ironies, a mechanical device, the phonograph first conceived and intended for use in business not for music storage or playback would change everything.

John Phillip Sousa, one hundred years ago:

”The time is coming when no one will be ready to submit himself to the ennobling discipline of learning music. Everyone will have their ready made or ready pirated music in their cupboards. Something is irretrievably lost when we are no longer in the presence of bodies making music. The nightingale’s song is delightful because the nightingale herself gives it forth.”

@mikeydred  and don't forget about Matthew Broderick and Ally
Sheedie in "Wargames"

@richopp,

A nice and clear explanation.

But how do we get out of this nightmare scenario?

Just how do we regain some space to breathe, to create and to express?

And most importantly, to enjoy?

It was bad enough that revenue from music sales went south years ago, leaving us back in the pre-Beatles era where artists made their money by touring.

Unless they were Elvis who could walk straight into Hollywood.

However, right now there's next to no opportunity for artists to tour and play live.

Now that creepy/sleepy (take your pick) Joe has been installed safely behind a wall of MSM and Big Tech (and some 7000 troops) we might just see some of the restrictions lifted shortly. 

Or we might not. 

I guess we're all getting a good taste of what it might have felt like being a teenager living in the pre Rock and Roll era.

Then out of nowhere came Bill Haley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and Elvis. Not to mention Brando, Dean, Hopper etc.

Many Brits have a similar affinity for those heady days of loosely regulated pirate radio in the early 1960s. Both Radio Luxemburg and Caroline are still especially fondly remembered by some.

The decline of music cannot be explained by only internal factors proper to this industry only...

The general decline of western civilization is linked to this musical industry decline...

Most people dont see this decline invoking for example booming new technologies...But empowering technology and technocacy is not culture nor science in itself...

This is the bad news...

The good news ia materialism of the last hundred years is terminated .... Humanity is at a forked road in evolution...

True science in all areas pointed to consciousness being the fundamental phenomenon not matter which is a fiction by now created by sense and habit....

We can predict then after the chaos of the actual uncertainty a Renascent creativity in all areas, music included, before the end of this century...

It’s true even in the early days of rock music artists were perceived as rebels, highly independent and not subservient to others. Then success and money kicks in and as we all know always  “just follow the money”. So much for artistic freedom.