Abrasive, metallic, industrial, textured, aggressive, exaggerated, rowdy, experimental: all words that have been used to described one of the fastest growing new genres. Though the originators of hyperpop have been consciously (or subconsciously) pushing the elements of pop music for years, only recently has the term become a part of…

Working in the music industry and being an artist can carry conflicting ideals for every musician looking to make a name for themselves. Artistic freedom of expression is juxtaposed by the industry’s need to categorize and market the product under a set number of boxes. For every artist this is…

The term neo-soul was first coined in the late 1990s by Motown Records’ Kedar Massenburg after the commercial success of artists like Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo and Maxwell, among others. Consisting of strong bass lines, lo-fi recording techniques, conscious lyrics, and heavy influences from its predecessors. It was the…

As a company that works exclusively within the Spotify platform as a part of digital strategy, there were several important notes that we took from a pandemic year of streaming. — The Rise of The Independent Artist In April of 2020, major labels and established artists were at a standstill. Unsure of the scope and duration of the pandemic, many major projects were paused. A lockdown order means the album cycle strategy simply cannot function. The inability to record in person, tour, promote on TV or radio…

Always being re-defined and re-invented, this genre as a whole is designed to not have the mass-appeal that pop songs on the charts have. Avant-pop can be described as: experimental, purposefully unusual, meant to challenge the listener. It re-defines expectations while still being accessible and living in the pop category…

“If people can dance together, they can live together…” “…that’s why it was so important we bring all kinds of people: black, white, straight and gay together with music.” — Mel Cheren, co-founder of Paradise Garage The story of house music is unlike any other. It is a true example…

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Becca Wig Now that we live in a world without live music, Spotify pages have become essential to the dissemination of an artist’s work. Cultivating a following has much more to do with numbers and algorithms than tours and meet and greets. The pressure for artists to make a strong presence on any social media (including Spotify) has only increased. When it comes down to…

Editor’s note: This article was written by Austin McLain. General Description Being one of the oldest, most recognizable, yet ultimately niche genres, Christmas music faces the duality of being ever-evolving and inherently connected to centuries-old traditions. Most of this music typically employs themes ranging from those based around religious aspects of the…

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Monica Moser. When do you start listening to Christmas music? There’s the passionate age-old debate, albeit a bit childish, over whether it’s kosher to put your Christmas playlist on regular rotation before you’ve properly celebrated Thanksgiving. While I encourage everyone to start listening to Christmas music whenever they please, I for…