Yes, music is like water, as thinkers and futurists predicted at the dawn of the digital revolution (read Dmitri’s latest blog post for more on that metaphor). But isn't music a lot like fire, too? As digital recorded music has matured, music is showing up in more and more places. Music is igniting activities and experiences that used to be siloed, spreading like wildfire and transforming other industries.
This week on the Music Tectonics podcast, host Dmitri Vietze chats with Tristra Newyear Yeager, resident music tech deep thinker, about unexpected places where the music spark is catching fire. This podcast episode covers a lot of ground from the sublime to the ridiculous. so we've collected shownotes and links here to help you follow the many directions music uses are going.
Listen to the latest podcast episode here on our website, or on your favorite podcast platform.
How is music changing TV, movies, and games, and vice versa?
Music for picture has been around since pictures started to move, but there have been a number of moments when movies & TV kicked into a higher gear and brought a lot of exposure to out-of-the-mainstream artists, from the New Wave tunes in Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club, to the indie rock on the OC, to the Latin rock on Weeds. The "Peak TV" moment has only accelerated synch: according to an RIAA report, synch growth was flat from 2013 to 2014, but grew 23% from 2017 to 2018. Gaming has has had similar breakout moments with music with Guitar Hero and Rock Band, with GTA radio & Saints Row 2 mix tapes, for example, but the ways music and gaming interact now is more complex than ever.
Marshmello played "live" at a virtual concert in Fortnite.
Musicians are making use of Twitch, the livestreaming platform built for gamers
Musical VR game Beat Saber releases an Imagine Dragons pack
What roles does music have to play in the workplace?
Sonos makes sharing music choices at work easier, opening up a whole new field of office etiquette.
A Spotify add-on for Slack might just make office music sharing messier!
Why is a toy store brand launching a record label? Music ignites brands, too.
Starbucks makes music part of their rewards program, but it's always been a key part of their brand identity.
W Hotels got so into music curation, they launched a record label.
And so did Build-A-Bear Workshops, every plushie-obsessed tot's favorite mall store!
But Red Bull shuttered its music initiative despite a lot of success.
Can music transform the transportation experience?
Uber partnered with Pandora to let you control the music during your ride.
Apple Music subscribers can download music for free on American Airlines.
And Spotify announced their "Car Thing" hardware.
Music can alter our mood, but what about our health, our learning, our fitness?
Dmitri asked friends to share what they know, and the response was overwhelming! We're grateful to everyone who shared personal stories with music in these areas.
"Alive Inside," a documentary, talks about music, memory, and Alzheimer's disease.
The Parkinson's Choir helps people fight that disease with music.
Lucid has created multi-sensory stations that helps reduce stress through light and music therapy.
The Adaptive Use Musical Instrument (AUMI) app allows people with very limited controlled (voluntary) movement to independently engage in music making.
Studytracks creates lyrics to learn sciences or math through music.
Mila uses music to help young kids learn through music.
Feed.fm powers music for your fitness app.
The Internet of Things is sparked by music too.
Do you really need a lamp you can shout at or grill that lets you DJ?
McCormick, the spice company, created a Grill and DJ Station, because food and music have a long relationship.
Ikea's Sonos partnership led to a musiclamp
And the MIDI Sprout connects to plants to create music based on their biofeedback.
Where have new music uses sparked something in your life? Connect with podcast host Dmitri Vietze on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter to weigh in on this topic or share your ideas for future episodes! Don't forget to follow Music Tectonics on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates too.
Which seismic shifts have you noticed in the music industry? What rumblings do you hear on the horizon? Keep the conversation going at the Music Tectonics Conference, October 28-29 in Los Angeles, CA. Follow the Facebook event to get in on our upcoming Flash Sale! Music Tectonics is about the big picture: how the minor tremors that ripple through the daily news add up to seismic shifts that shape the business of music now and in the future. See you at the epicenter!
