Is YouTube Killing the Live Music Industry in the UK? And Are We Next?
I find myself in London several times a year and I always come away with the same impression: no one loves music more than the English. It’s everywhere all the time, much more so than in most places in North America. I love it.
But the situation may be in peril and the problem lies with YouTube. From the BBC:
Are small music venues being put out of business as more and more artists are discovered online?
Last week, Canadian singer Shawn Mendes replaced Justin Bieber at the top of the charts. Nothing strange about that, you might think – clean-cut teen stars are the staple diet of the music industry.
But, crucially, both artists were signed before they’d proved their ability to play in front of an audience. Bieber was discovered through his YouTube channel, while Mendes amassed 3.8 million followers on the video-sharing app Vine.
They’re not alone. The Weeknd, Jessie J, 5 Seconds of Summer, Halsey and Soulja Boy all built an audience online before eager record labels snapped them (and their fanbases) up.
Fair point.If you don’t have to leave your house to discover new music–and you can drink cheaper pints from the fridge–would you go out as much?
