The trendy day economic system is constructed upon ‘just-in-time’ provide chains. This framework has enabled the advantages of consumerism that we’ve come to take pleasure in, reminiscent of subsequent day supply, out of season meals on our cabinets, and the digital gadgets we stay our lives via. Every element of the just-in-time economic system works in tightly coordinated partnership, from factories, via transport, to level of sale. The underlying precept is that each element is manufactured and delivered at simply the proper time, to make sure that there’s a continuous throughput of manufacturing, meeting, and consumption. Gone are the previous days of huge warehouses containing product, simply in case it’s wanted. As an alternative, simply the correct amount makes its approach all over the world in delivery containers to fulfill demand. Most of us by no means even knew this technique existed till the pandemic, when it all of a sudden broke down and we discovered ourselves in need of necessities, like bathroom paper. Maybe with out even realising it, the music enterprise has change into a just-in-time economic system too, and that’s not factor.

The music enterprise was once characterised by artists disappearing into the studio for months on finish and rising with an album for expectant followers to get their fingers on at a while sooner or later. Bands just like the Purple Scorching Chili Peppers have been capable of common 4 years between their albums and nonetheless count on their fanbase to be there, ready eagerly for the subsequent launch. Streaming and social media mixed to show that mannequin on its head, heralding the period of the always-on artist. Now, artists worry the results of not placing out a single each month. Heck, even Daniel Ek mentioned it’s “not sufficient” for artists to launch albums “each 3-4 years” and that they should create “steady engagement with their followers”.

Add this to the very actual worry that the algorithm will ‘overlook’ artists if they don’t sustain a gradual stream of social posts and releases, and you’ve got the inspiration stones for music’s just-in-time economic system. The implication, no, the fact, is that if artists don’t conform to the always-on mannequin then they are going to be misplaced by (not in) the system. Artists (and their rightsholders) have change into just-in-time suppliers, with the refined, but seismic, shift from delivering artwork to their followers after they have completed their inventive course of, at their tempo, to filling a slot within the by no means ceasing provide chain. It’s an surroundings that, unsurprisingly, has created the hit at present, gone tomorrow world that at present’s music enterprise operates inside.

The mannequin works effectively for platforms, and customers, however much less so for artists, because of misaligned incentives throughout the trade. The underlying drawback with the system is that the content material platforms that form at present’s leisure enterprise (TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, Spotify, and so on.) worth creation greater than they do creators. The extra creation that there’s, the extra that the platforms’ algorithms are capable of goal customers with ever extra particular and personalised content material. The platforms all, after all, discuss speak about creators, however what issues most to them is that their customers get the proper content material. It doesn’t matter whether or not meaning a thousand creators delivering one piece of content material to a thousand customers, or one creator to 1 thousand customers. With the pervasive obsession with ‘new’, as quickly as one piece of content material has been served, one other is required.

That is how we described this dynamic again in early 2021:

“Within the consideration economic system’s quantity and velocity sport, the streaming platform is a hungry beast that’s perpetually hungry. Every new tune is simply one other little bit of calorific enter to sate its urge for food.”