Major Labels

How a music industry job damaged her love of music

“I used to work in the music industry for, like, ten years,” says TikToker @atlantacobb near the start of her video with over 1 million views, “so now I can’t listen to music properly.”

Her problem is that many new songs are very similar to previous hits. The first of several examples is how Lizzo’s new song “2 Be Loved” sounds a lot like Lady Gaga’s “Perfect Illusion” from 2016.

“All I can hear is Lady Gaga,” she says of Lizzo’s new song. “This happens all the time in my head. It’s so annoying.”

@atlantacobb

INTERRUPTING THE TRAVEL CONTENT FOR JUST ONCE to show you how working in music changed how i listen to music. these are songs that sound the same. 🤯 an example of how my job ruined everyday life #songsthatsoundthesame #lizzo #musicindustry #wlw #similarsongs stitch with @Barnard.co

♬ 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) – Lizzo

There is a part 2 and 3 with more songs.

@atlantacobb

Replying to @victoria_isr due to a ridiculous amount of requests PART 2 of Songs That Sound The Same is OUT NOW. #songsthatsoundthesame #harrystyles #musicindustry #wlw #similarsongs @atlantacobb

♬ Late Night Talking – Harry Styles
@atlantacobb

Replying to @ottomany songs that sound the same PART 3. didn’t expect for so many of you to want a series 😂 STITCH: @Barnard.co #songsthatsoundthesame #songs #musicindustry #wlw #similarsongs

♬ Say It Right – Sped Up Remix – Nelly Furtado & Speed Radio

Add to add a little credibility and backstory….

@atlantacobb

a moment of reflection ! i took a risk and quit my full time job in the music industry at the start of this year to travel and grow and lemme tell you it is a rideeee here we goooo ✈️ #selfgrowth #selfimprovement #selfgrowthjourney #oldlife #musicindustry

♬ State Lines – Novo Amor

Bruce Houghton is Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank and serves as a Senior Advisor to Bandsintown which acquired both publications in 2019. He is the Founder and President of the Skyline Artists Agency and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.

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2 Comments

  1. About 40 years ago, Jerry Ade, the agent who ran Norby Walters, the major R&B and Hip-Hop booking agency at the time, sent me to Colony Records in Times Square to buy the Top 10 singles at the time. He asked me what was significant about the Top 10 singles? I said I didn’t know. Jerry said, when you listen to each of them they will sound similar in some fashion to another hit that came before that single. In this regard, the music business and the music in it hasn’t changed all that much. Everything sounds like something else. However, it’s all about the music. If it makes you happy when you listen to a song, then life is good.

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