Social media: a curse or a blessing for the music sector?

(talk in English)

In an ever-changing world and in a diverse city like Brussels, music has the capacity to unite people. Through a series of Talks AB and KU Leuven examine societal challenges and look for solutions through the lens of music and nightlife culture.

Social media platforms have become indispensable tools for musicians to communicate directly with their fans. Channels such as Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook, allow artists to share personal updates, exclusive content and glimpses behind the scenes.

The rise of those platforms has had a profound impact on the consumption and creation of music. Musicians respond to our ever-shortening attention span by creating fragments that resonate within seconds. Those shortened formats have challenged traditional song structures and paved the way for viral hits.

In the battle for the attention of the rapidly scrolling audience, further trends have been created – think: high bpm music and soundscapes that traditionally do well on social media. Artists like James Blake have already been critical of these evolutions.

TikTok in particular has become one of the go-to tools for music discovery and promotion over the past three years. Because of that, beginners and better-known artists alike have had to spend a lot of time promoting their music on TikTok. 

Yet, as of late, the music of artists like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and U2 can no longer be heard on TikTok. Record label Universal does not want to make a new deal with the platform, because they are not willing to pay ‘appropriate compensation’ for the use of it. Are Belgian musicians also losing their springboard to a larger audience because of this? 

Social media: a curse or a blessing for the music industry? We try to formulate an answer to that question during the next KU Leuven x AB Talk.

Registration costs 3 euros, but that will be returned to you upon arrival in the form of a drink token. Don’t miss this talk, and register now.