Renowned musician, producer, and DJ Matthew Dear joins the podcast for a wide-ranging discussion. They cover AI-related issues, minimal music, Detroit, sampling, and more. The episode also touches on living in Upstate New York vs. Ann Arbor, the impact of politically charged songs, flaws in public administration, and the expression of ideas in various forms. A varied and entertaining conversation with Matthew Dear awaits!
The success of Oliver Anthony's politically charged debut single suggests a continued interest in songs that express frustration with the status quo.
Politically driven music and protest songs, exemplified by Oliver Anthony's debut, resonate with the social climate of the 1960s marked by political and social upheaval.
The podcast discusses the challenges faced by artists in finding their artistic direction, balancing personal satisfaction and mass appeal, and adapting to the evolving music industry.
Deep dives
New artist debuts at number one on Billboard chart
Oliver Anthony, a previously unheralded country singer, has made history by debuting his first single at number one on the Billboard 100 chart, a feat never before achieved.
Political expression in music
The phenomenon of politically charged songs and protest music has been less prevalent in recent years. However, the success of Oliver Anthony's debut single, which touches on political issues, suggests that there is still a hunger for songs that express frustration with the status quo.
Lack of urgency in the 90s
The 1990s saw a decline in urgency and political unrest, with the prevailing belief of the end of history and a sense of contentment. While there were still some political undercurrents and social justice movements, the urgency and frequency of politically charged music was not as pronounced as in previous decades.
Parallel to the 1960s
The emergence of politically driven music and protest songs, as seen with Oliver Anthony's debut single, resonates with the social climate of the 1960s which saw significant political and social upheaval, as well as a burst of protest music.
The struggle of finding artistic direction
The podcast episode explores the speaker's personal struggle as an artist and musician to find their artistic direction and identify what they should sing about. They discuss the impact of global issues such as COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and the #MeToo movement on their creative process and how it has influenced their goals and ambitions. The speaker reflects on the challenges of balancing personal artistic satisfaction with the desire for recognition and mass appeal. They also express a need to adapt and evolve creatively to maintain relevance in the ever-changing music industry.
The changing music landscape and the influence of minimal music
The podcast delves into the changing music landscape and the growth of the minimal music scene. The speaker shares their own experience and connection to the minimal genre, mentioning influential labels and artists from that time period. They discuss the impact of minimal music on pop culture and its influence in simplifying and stripping down productions. The speaker reflects on the large volume of music being released and the challenges of finding and promoting new and obscure music in today's streaming era. They also speculate on the potential role of AI in helping music fans discover niche or outsider music.
As the above might suggest, this was a wide ranging discussion also covering many of the AI-related issues I talked about with Mat Dryhurst last week, as well as minimal, Detroit, and sampling.
Check this one out, you might learn something!
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