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How has technology changed the way we listen to and engage with music?

The problem:

In 2002, David Bowie predicted that music would become like running water or electricity. Today, streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal provide listeners with an easy, abundant, and seamless way of integrating music into everyday life.

Our research:

• This project examined how people go about listening to music in a context where streaming services are focused on not only the circulation of music for users but also the circulation of user data and attention.
• We drew on interviews with users of music streaming technologies across a range of demographics in Australia and abroad.
• Our research suggests that streaming services change the way we listen to music in 3 key ways: first, they eliminate the need for physical media to engage with and experience music; second, as networked technologies, they allow users to integrate their streaming activities with social media, enabling them to share their music listening habits with wider audiences; and, third, streaming platforms embed music consumption within algorithmic cultures, shaping how listeners access music and discover new sounds. Music streaming platforms therefore alter what can be done with music and transform our social experiences of listening to music.

Our impact:

• This study provides new insights for scholars, students and the public with an interest in music cultures and the way our technological environment shapes our everyday practices.
• It highlights the increased impacts of streaming platforms on the perceptions and experiences of users.
• Our research has attracted public attention, with interest from several media outlets including ABC, The Conversation, and others.

Music streaming platforms therefore alter what can be done with music and transform our social experiences of listening to music.”