Harmonizing Economics: The Unseen Power of Music in Urban Revival [Kyle Bylin]

Former Hypebot Editor Kyle Bylin is back with a dive into how music can unite residents and drive economic development if communities look beyond superstars and corporate music behemoths, nurture local musicians, and support local live music.

by Kyle Bylin

I’m reading This Must Be the Place by Shain Shapiro, who co-founded Sound Diplomacy, an agency focusing on music strategy, economic development, and community analysis. The book explains how music can unite communities and help with economic and community development. Hosting festivals and launching new venues can be a promising approach to draw in entrepreneurs and tourists to neighborhoods. Nonetheless, some initiatives have fallen short due to poor management and a lack of knowledge regarding the music industry’s economics. In some instances, classic events might have been more suitable for communities looking to bring people together and stimulate the local economy. A few mid-sized cities attempted to take advantage of the music festival trend but faced catastrophic consequences. Despite the difficulties caused by COVID-19, countless small and medium-sized businesses are striving to recuperate and prosper once more.

Local Music Ecosystems

The book explores the world of music ecosystems, focusing on the various organizations that work together to support artistic growth and development. It highlights the role of schools and music programs in providing music lessons and local shops and radio stations that promote and help sell local music. Indie music venues play a crucial role in sustaining the music community by hosting local and regional bands and curating bands that will interest them. Musicians also play a vital role by providing lessons beyond the public school system and potentially attending college music programs or becoming music teachers. However, these professions are not always well-paying, which can discourage people from pursuing them. 

To prevent impoverishing the music scene, there needs to be an investment in teaching young people how to perform music.

In his analysis, Shapiro delves into the intricate relationship between music and cities, exploring multiple levels of their interplay. This relationship leads to diverse conclusions about the sustainability and effectiveness of cities’ music strategies. For example, cities that only feature popular acts performing in their local music venues and radio stations create a music ecosystem heavily influenced by corporate interests, which disregards independent artists and prevents them from distributing their music throughout the community. Consequently, bands struggle to attract an audience, as other promotional platforms in the area, such as independent venues, radio stations, record stores, and even public radio, fail to support local bands and provide them with growth opportunities. This lack of education, performance venues, and promotional channels can hinder the development of local music scenes, making it difficult to attract regional or mainstream audiences through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, which require significant investment to promote independent music.

I’ve been interested in music ecosystems since reading the book Life Inc. by Douglas Rushkoff a decade ago. The book discusses how corporations influence the landscape and follow their interests. One of the main things Rushkoff mentions is the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This act allowed radio operators to own stations outside of their market. As a result, media conglomerates such as Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media came to be. Independent record stores were also affected significantly by the rise of big-box retail. These giants began selling vinyl and CDs at discounted prices, causing a decline in foot traffic for independent stores. The trend was made worse with the emergence of peer-to-peer file sharing and digital music distribution. This led to the closure of many music stores worldwide. In recent years, vinyl has returned, and people have shown renewed interest in physical media. However, music streaming has fundamentally changed how people listen to and discover music and has completely transformed the music industry landscape. Despite vinyl still being a big business, streaming has taken over.

The music industry has become more restrictive due to the consolidation of big box retail and companies like Ticketmaster and Live Nation. This has made it harder for artists to succeed. Although some craft breweries and specialty restaurants host live music, the COVID pandemic has closed many stages, limiting musicians’ opportunities to perform. This has hindered their ability to gain experience and develop their skills. It’s essential to evaluate the music industry’s current state and create suggestions for a more inclusive and supportive environment for artists in the future.

“(If artists) rely solely on the Internet for support, they may not feel tied to their community”

Social media has revolutionized how local artists can reach a global audience without leaving their hometowns. However, if they rely solely on the Internet for support, they may not feel tied to their community. As their careers take off, they may move to another place that better suits their lifestyle. Therefore, it’s vital to nurture relationships with local supporters because artists ultimately need their community’s backing to succeed. We’ve learned from several decades of the Internet that it’s incredibly challenging for artists to establish themselves and make a living without local support. It’s tough to earn money in an area if people aren’t attending live shows and supporting the artists.

Most cities in the United States do not have a music strategy at the city level, even though music events generate significant economic activity. Taylor Swift’s tour, for example, boosted the economy so much that some people joked she saved the country from a deep recession. People spend money on food, drinks, merchandise, and records attending music events. However, cities must develop talent within their regions to fill venues and entertain people. The music industry has changed, and we can no longer rely on famous artists to stimulate economies. Instead, we need to support local artists and make it easier for them to make a living as musicians. Music is a fundamental human need, and if we want to create cities where people enjoy living, working, and playing, it must be part of our strategy. Live concerts are the best way to unite people and celebrate the transformative power of music and art.