New York Times: The Future of Music Discovery

The New York Times reached out to BerkleeICE for thoughts on how music is discovered in the digital era using Vine star and No. 1 Billboard artist Shawn Mendes as an example.

April 29, 2015

Following the No. 1 Billboard debut of Vine star Shawn Mendes, the New York Times's Ben Sisario reached out to Panos Panay to speak on the future of music discovery after the advent of social media. There is little doubt that sites such as Vine, Twitter, and Instagram are providing great platforms for independent artists to gain exposure. Matty Karas, the curator of MusicRedef points to the fact that we are in a moment where “the up-and-comers and the stars and the wannabes are all on the same platform.” This can result in talent scouts and celebrities stumbling across a relatively unknown artist on the same platform. 

There are, however, worries for the longevity of a career started in such a manner. As Panay told the New York Times, “The labels are adjusting to an environment where stars will be as ephemeral as a text message.” Shawn Mendes, on the other hand, hopes that the huge success of his debut album will help prove that social media-born stars can indeed have sustained success. 

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