Canadian musicians facing multi-front squeeze from AI, streaming and venue closures
New research shows Canadian musicians are feeling increasingly hostile toward the tech industry and advances like generative AI, which they say are devaluing art and making it harder to gain listeners and earn money from music.
This article discusses the challenges faced by Canadian musicians in the modern music industry, with a focus on the impact of artificial intelligence, streaming platforms, and the closure of physical venues. A University of Alberta study surveyed 263 working Canadian musicians, revealing widespread dissatisfaction with the industry's current state.
The researchers found that musicians felt squeezed by dwindling opportunities in both physical and virtual worlds, particularly as music distribution power has become concentrated in the hands of a few companies.
One significant change in the industry is the introduction of AI tools like Suno, which can generate complete songs with a single click. Of the 142 musicians who addressed generative AI, 87% viewed the technology negatively, describing it as not fitting their definition of art and expressing concerns about copyright, artistic value, and income. Some artists are worried that AI could negatively affect their earnings, as it allows non-musicians to create artificial songs and flood streaming platforms.
The researchers also explored musicians' feelings towards social media and the music streaming platform Spotify. Most described a forced, ambivalent relationship with these platforms, expressing distrust while also recognizing their necessity in the current landscape. However, some musicians gained listeners by appearing on popular Spotify playlists, while others viewed the service as a barrier to discovery.
Musicians also criticized Spotify's low payments, reliance on Spotify metrics to evaluate artists, and the platform's use of an opaque algorithm to serve music to listeners.
In addition to the challenges posed by AI and streaming platforms, musicians have faced the closure of physical venues over the past decade. This has forced them to compete for a shrinking number of spaces to play, making it more difficult to plan tours and discover new opportunities. The study's author, Dr. Brian Fauteux, suggests that the music industry is increasingly feeling like a monopoly, with musicians feeling a loss of control over their careers.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
