At work I do enjoy when music CDs I selected eight years ago still get checked out by patrons of the library. It validates that I have good musical taste and, therefore, I am cool. However, the way people listen to music has changed dramatically, and now most stream from websites like Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and others. Less than a decade ago, you needed to have a downloaded copy of a song to use in an edit. People would back up their CDs and put borrowed CDs on their computer. Having a collection of songs on your laptop helped with edits, and I guess that DJs would have an extensive collection on their computers. Music copyright with edits seems to be evolving, and that’s what I’ll cover in this post.
Years ago, I tried to make a skate edit with Prince’s 1999, and although the music wasn’t blocked right away, within a few weeks it was. A Led Zeppelin song was blocked right away. There was a gray area of what songs are allowed and what songs are not. For edits, it was a gamble. You could have thousands of songs in your iTunes queue, but still not be sure which one to use. Without being able to use the music available on your iTunes, it felt less important to build a personal collection. On my new laptop, I haven’t used iTunes, which is Apple Music now. I’m not sure if you can upload from Apple Music to iMovie for editing anymore. But hoarding music on your computer or laptop is not necessary anymore, unless you’re a DJ.
I pay for YouTube Premium and Amazon Music. I have a Spotify account solely for the reason Bumble asks for one on profiles. Since I don’t use Spotify much, it has generic classic rock as my favorites on Bumble. To look cool on Bumble is not a good enough reason to have three music streaming subscriptions. YouTube Premium is beneficial because, without commercials, you get music, music videos, skate videos, and everything else on YouTube. Amazon Music is great for listening to whole albums. These are streaming services, though; I couldn’t download a song and put it on my own skate edit. At least I don’t think I can. Even if I could, it’s not worth the gamble of getting music blocked. It is a copyright thing, and even if the musicians are millionaires, they created that sound.
A few nights ago, I was bored, and in my Facebook notifications, it stated something about being a Facebook professional. I think I read it wrong but I thought it said to get 1000 views in a month and you can get paid. So, I signed up for it, and it even requested tax information. These reels have a music search, so for 90 seconds you can add a soundtrack to it. Reels have been around for awhile on instagram and facebook, but seem to be getting more popular. I think it’s suitable for skaters and other creatives to be able to have a soundtrack. Looking further into it I think it’s more like 100,000 views to make money.
In addition to making edits, I’m a fan of music. With the new technology, everyone can be a fan. There are thousands of recommendations online. Every streaming services has algorithms to recommend music to their customers. It’s easier and better than the olden days when something came on the radio or MTV, you jotted the song down when the DJ mentioned it. Then a trip to the mall and buying the tape or CD. Back then, music enthusiasts would read The Rolling Stone, Spin, or other magazines to keep up with new music. Now it’s easier to learn about music.
Three things remain the same, though. One, it will always be a fantastic feeling when a new song connects with the listener. Secondly, a good live show beats listening to it at home, and I hope to go to some shows in the near future. And thirdly, musicians are called rock stars because they are the biggest influences in popular culture, and put a soundtrack to the times.
A few weeks ago, Taylor Swift hit a record with 10 songs in the Billboard top ten. It was a record that surpassed something set in 2021, but previously, the record belonged to The Beatles. A few weeks later, only one of the Taylor Swift songs was in the top 10. I think Taylor Swift is talented and a great musician. But will her impact be as significant as The Beatles was? Time will tell, but I guess that streaming and downloading are a different beast than the traditional album sales and radio play statistics.
