UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Arrangement, instrumentation, lyric writing, music theory, inspiration… it’s all here.
Post Reply

UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Post by N i g e l »

may be restricted access outside the UK

Songwriting is the creative bedrock of pop music. But the rise of streaming technology and new platforms - from Spotify and YouTube to TikTok - has not only changed the way we listen to music, it is transforming the art of songwriting itself.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qjfd
User avatar
N i g e l
Frequent Poster
Posts: 4550 Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:40 pm Location: British Isles

Re: UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Post by zenguitar »

I listened to it live, and found it interesting and informative.

Andy :beamup:
User avatar
zenguitar
Moderator
Posts: 13021 Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 12:00 am Location: Devon
Is it about a bicycle?

Re: UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Added to my watch list, thanks :)
User avatar
Drew Stephenson
Apprentice Guru
Posts: 28059 Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:00 am Location: York
(The forumuser formerly known as Blinddrew)
Ignore the post count, I have no idea what I'm doing...
https://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/

Re: UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Ok, I found that to be a very frustrating listen.
It seemed to be a mix of confusion about the history of pop music; with examples of more songs starting with the chorus and lengths shortening to less than 3 minutes - both features of song-writing loooong before the advent of streaming services. Hell, they even have Nile Rogers on there who made a conscious point of starting Chic songs with the chorus.
The other half of it seemed to be a person making their living manufacturing music complaining about the nature of manufactured music.
I'm really not sure that they actually presented any evidence that there was a significant change to song-writing outside of the singles chart.
Despite being largely a strawman set up to be taken down it was still very incoherent overall.
User avatar
Drew Stephenson
Apprentice Guru
Posts: 28059 Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:00 am Location: York
(The forumuser formerly known as Blinddrew)
Ignore the post count, I have no idea what I'm doing...
https://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/

Re: UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Post by shufflebeat »

I found that by accident when the ads on LBC became insufferable.

It was interesting and the description of the brave new world of mix and match of elements of previously successful tracks was a perfect reminder of the process outlined by Pete Waterman when Stock, Shift and Remunerate Kylie'd the country in the 80's.

It was interesting though and reminded me to dig more into the mechanisms currently available.
shufflebeat
Longtime Poster
Posts: 9723 Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:00 am Location: Manchester, UK
“…I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career” - (folk musician, Manchester).

Re: UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Post by shufflebeat »

By the way, also check out Louis Theroux's interview programme with Sia on Radio 4. Really interesting to hear her attitude to songwriting which reflects the current trends in tech and market forces but recognises t'was ever thus.
shufflebeat
Longtime Poster
Posts: 9723 Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:00 am Location: Manchester, UK
“…I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career” - (folk musician, Manchester).

Re: UK Radio 4 prog, songwriting/streaming

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Listening now. :thumbup:
User avatar
Drew Stephenson
Apprentice Guru
Posts: 28059 Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:00 am Location: York
(The forumuser formerly known as Blinddrew)
Ignore the post count, I have no idea what I'm doing...
https://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/
Post Reply