03.31.2008
HOW WE LISTEN TO MUSIC NOW
WHAT'S HOT ON YOUTUBE AND MYSPACE? WHAT'S YOUR LATEST DOWNLOADED MP3? YVETTE TAN GIVES US A GLIMPSE ON HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF MUSIC.
There is no doubt that technology has, in just a few years, radically changed the way we listen to music. The internet, MP3 players, even cellphones are slowly rendering the CD as a source of music obsolete. And who can even remember playing music on tapes? It's amazing that there's a whole generation of kids who are growing up not knowing what a cassette tape is, in the same way that I refused to believe my dad when he told me what an 8-track was.
The internet has made it possible to do a variety of things unheard of before. Access to all types of music has become instantly plausible at the click of a mouse. Any band with a web page or a MySpace account can advertise their existence to people all over the world. Just recently, Journey found their new lead singer, former Zoo frontman Arnel Pineda, via a clip on YouTube.
These days, less and less people are looking to recording companies to supply them with the latest tunes. If you're online a lot, chances are you'll be frequenting sites that rely on User Generated Content (UGC) to give you your music fix. This means that everything in that website has been provided by other users, and you are also welcome to contribute to the site's content. Here are some of the most popular formats and sites:
MUSIC BLOGS
Music Blogs are a great way to keep in touch with the latest in the music industry, be it the newest releases by the biggest bands to what's hot in the indie scene. Bloggers upload tracks that can be downloaded. This is a great way to discover new bands. The catch is that the tracks are removed after a week, to prevent copyright issues so you have to check them often.
RADIO BLOG CLUB
Some sites, like radioblogclub.com, allow you to assemble your own playlist that you can listen to every time you're online. You can look at other people's playlists for inspiration, and the site also gives suggestions on the type of music you might want to explore. The interface may need a bit of getting used to, but if you spend a lot of time on the internet, this is a good way to get your dose of audio pill.
MYSPACE
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Nowadays, almost every group has a MySpace account. You can find news and information on the band, see their gig schedules, and listen to their sample tracks. What makes a band's MySpace page different from a normal website is that MySpace is a social network and, like all social networks, people can link up to become online friends. This is great for you as a fan because you get a direct online link to your favorite group.
MULTIPLY
Unless you've been living under a rock all these years, you already know that Multiply is not only a great way to keep track of your friends, it's also a great way to keep track of the music they're listening to. Each Multiply page has a section devoted entirely to uploaded MP3s. You used to be able to download these babies. Unfortunately, probably due to the same copyright laws that make music blog posts so fleeting, you can only listen to entries online. Still, it's a great way to discover new music, and learn a bit about your friends on the way.
YOUTUBE
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Lots of internet sensations have been discovered via YouTube. Remember the two Chinese guys lip synching to The Backstreet Boys? And the FilAm guy giving instructions on how to make Adobo? I've already talked about how Arnel Pineda got discovered on YouTube. Beyond this, the site is a great way to watch concerts, TV appearances, and footage of your favorite band's old performances. As a musician, posting your performance footage is a wonderful venue for acquiring an audience wider than you would have if you had stuck to the traditional route of gig performances and radio airplay.
The internet truly is a great leveler. Now, the same information is accessible to people all over the world. On May 2008, Pulse.ph's own UGC website, OurPulse will be launched. Here, members will have their own personal page that friends can view, and where they can upload music, photos, videos, and blog entries. Now that's something to watch out for.
