The Evolving Landscape of Hip-Hop: Perspectives on Anger, Accessibility, and Streaming
A Difference in Opinion
“I don’t believe hip-hop lyrics are more angry,”
says Dame Aubrey, head of A&R for CMG Records and Management, a music label representing streaming-app-hits-all-the-right-notes/” title=”Discover the Flaws: Why No Music Streaming App Hits All the Right Notes”>artists like Moneybagg Yo, BlocBoy JB, and GloRilla. Aubrey attributes any perceived changes in hip-hop to the genre’s expansion and increased accessibility. With more artists and perspectives, the medium has become more diverse, thanks to technological advancements. “There’s just a lot more artists with opportunities to be heard because it basically became a trend to make music,” Aubrey explains.
The Impact of Social Media on Song Popularity
In the era of social media, the mechanics of how a song gains popularity have shifted. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) can amplify certain sounds, as seen when Kendrick Lamar’s jabs at Drake gained traction due to the theatrics of online socializing, which thrives on both camaraderie and confrontation among users.
The Perception of Rap Music
Rap has long been associated with emotions like ego, anger, and swagger, which are integral to the genre’s bold identity. However, the question arises: are less positive song lyrics truly increasing, or is the popularity of certain songs simply a reflection of what the algorithm seems to favor?
The Transformative Power of Streaming
Streaming has revolutionized the music industry, making crafting hit songs simultaneously easier and more challenging. While virality remains unpredictable, streaming playlists have undeniably helped deliver songs to vast audiences in ways analog media couldn’t.
“While there are certainly trends in organic popularity, one unique thing about playlists is the significance and importance of context,”
says JJ Italiano, head of global music curation and discovery at Spotify. The performance of even the most popular songs can vary significantly depending on the playlist and the surrounding tracks.
The Rise of Dasha’s ”Austin”
Dasha’s viral hit “Austin” exemplifies the power of playlist curation. Starting with around 10,000 streams, Spotify editors programmed the song alongside similar on-theme pop songs, summery guitar-driven tunes, narrative-rich country songs, and heartbreak tracks from different genres. Eventually, the song’s popularity led to its inclusion in Spotify’s “Today’s Top Hits” playlist. However, as listeners become more familiar with a song, sequencing becomes less crucial to its longevity.
The Influence of Social Media on Songwriting
Artists find themselves creating music that aligns with current trends to achieve the same level of reach as viral hits. While factors like war and heartbreak have historically influenced music, social media platforms like TikTok and X now drive the conversation. “Social media definitely plays a part in song writing just as the community, movies, and television once played a part,” Aubrey notes. The tenor of online exchanges, ranging from lukewarm to indignant, can dictate which songs dominate the conversation, as seen with Taylor Swift’s most popular online tracks often detailing scorn.
Navigating the Algorithm: Khal!l’s Experience
Even artists like Milwaukee rapper Khal!l, who expressed a desire to “create an atmosphere where we can mosh-pit but then also cry and hold hands and shit,” find themselves beholden to the algorithm. Having gained fame through TikTok, Khal!l recognizes the need to feed the app with resonant content to sustain his presence:
“We gotta ride this horse ’til the hooves fall off.”
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Pop’s latest craze? Just wait till TikTok gets a hold of it!
Pop music on social media? It’s a roller coaster that never stops climbing!