The Influence of Technology on Our Relationships with Music
Open Access
Author:
Jester, Mac Kenzee
Area of Honors:
English
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Jeffrey Nealon, Thesis Supervisor Claire Mary Colebrook, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
music technology streaming Spotify consumerism appropriation relationships social media codes misuse misunderstanding massification Hozier
Abstract:
People no longer have meaningful relationships with music. Although music is embedded in nearly every activity, or found anywhere if you leave your house, it’s not as meaningful as it used to be and doesn’t serve the same purposes it did 50 years ago. This is due to the ways in which technology is altering the everyday life of the average American. The creation of the smartphone and streaming services have revolutionized how music is made accessible to listeners, but consequently changed the relationships we build with it. Today we use music as a secondary activity, something to enhance what we’re already doing. We listen in the shower, while doing homework, or mindlessly grocery shopping for the week. Record companies are keeping track of this as well. As technology changes how we listen to music, record companies track what’s popular through trends and social media so they can continue to make money on the industry. Our poor relationships are also affecting how we listen, or more importantly, how much we don’t listen. Is anyone actually listening anymore?
