Total Immersion
When the record industry moved from mono to stereo in the ’50s and ’60s, it entered a golden age. Fans enjoyed a better listening experience, and the new LP format enabled artists to be more ambitious. Labels profited from massive growth, studios flourished and ‘rock star’ became a bona fide profession.
Sam Inglis, Sound On Sound s Editor In Chief.Photo: JG HardingHowever, when the industry tried to repeat the trick in the ’70s, audiences shunned quadraphonic audio. Attempts to popularise 5.1 surround as a music listening format in the early 2000s likewise met with limited success. So, as today’s music business falls over itself to hype ‘immersive audio’, a bit of scepticism is forgivable. Consumers weren’t willing to spend money then in order to hear bits of Pink Floyd coming from behind them, or Super Furry Animals doing circuits of the living room. Why should things be different now?
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The Luxury Of Choice
Back in the ’80s, tastes in music were narrow. We were passionate about music, but we were wedded to our chosen scenes. The idea that a thrash metal fan might also enjoy the Smiths was utterly alien. The only thing that bound us all together was a shared revolt against the music of the ’70s!
Sam Inglis, Editor In Chief.Photo: JG HardingThe Internet seems to have swept all that away. Today’s teenagers see nothing odd about playlisting The Beatles and Sinatra cheek by jowl with trap‑metal and drill. Music of the past is seen as a canon to be added to, not an embarrassment to be left behind. This seems to me a very positive change, and I wonder if it’s being reflected in the ways people make music.