Music Tectonics Crossroads: Streaming's Time to Choose with Mark Mulligan
Nov 11, 2025
Mark Mulligan, founder of MIDiA Research, dives deep into the future of music streaming, highlighting the challenges posed by AI content and Gen Z's engagement. He discusses the urgent need for the industry to shift from mere optimization to revolutionary changes. Mulligan emphasizes capturing cultural connections through play-oriented experiences and curated content pathways. He also explores the importance of rate limits to manage content overload, urging streaming services to differentiate their offerings for a diverse audience.
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Financialization And Optimization Reshape Streaming
- Streaming is shaped by financialization and optimization, which change incentives and priorities across the industry.
- These forces push services toward steady growth and fine-tuning rather than bold, music-centered innovation.
Optimize Versus Revolutionize
- Streaming faces a crossroads: keep optimizing the existing model or pursue revolutionary change to secure long-term relevance.
- Optimization yields steady gains but fails to address deeper shifts like Gen Z behavior and AI content floods.
AI And Creator Floods Create Discovery Crisis
- Generative AI and an explosion of creators are massively increasing music supply and discovery clutter.
- As a result, 70% of listening is passive and algorithms are overwhelmed, favoring background 'sonic wallpaper' consumption.