In the 2022 film “Vengeance,” one of the eclectic side characters describes our protagonist as a “playlist guy.” When the protagonist expresses confusion about this label, the character explains, “When some computer recommends you a bunch of songs based on your favorites and a bunch more based on your favorites of those. Right. So you’re listening to a bunch of music that you genuinely like, but you have no idea who sings it.”
This observation resonates with many people today, especially younger audiences. It’s not anyone’s fault; the music industry has transformed dramatically over the years. What used to be physical music is now entirely digital, allowing access to thousands of songs without knowing anything about the artists behind them. However, this shift has led to a growing disconnect between the art and the artist.
A friend recently asked me to share some of my favorite albums, and I found it challenging to identify albums I truly enjoyed and had listened to from start to finish. I realized these were albums from artists I loved but had neglected in favor of their more popular songs or those recommended to me.
Music apps now tailor recommendations directly to a listener’s interests. While this custom approach can enhance the listening experience in the short term, it doesn’t foster overall growth. The algorithms that create daily mixes or profile your music tastes become confused when you decide to explore beyond what they’ve established.
Exploration becomes difficult when everything you consume is catered to you. Many of my favorite artists or songs I discovered “in the wild”—whether through recommendations from friends, overheard in restaurants, or mentions in movies or shows. Sharing these discoveries with others is enjoyable, especially when you can respond to the question, “How’d you find this?” with something other than “Oh, the app recommended it to me.”
I believe the current digital landscape can significantly benefit small, undiscovered artists, but it means little if people aren’t listening to their music. There’s an ongoing debate about separating the art from the artist, but how many of your favorite artists can you truly describe? Why do they create the music they make? And why do you choose to listen to it?
