Music Trends for the Next Decade: Part One

What does 5G mean to the music industry?

A wave of fundamental changes is happening in the music industry as the 5G (and 6G) network becomes more and more popular and accessible. Wider bandwidth and low latency mean that artists nowadays can perform a concert in different parts of the world without having to worry about latency issues and compromising music quality in transmitting the data to audiences who live on different continents.

5G technology also enables artists, audio engineers, and music producers to make collaborative productions—live and in synchrony. 5G could help to reduce production costs while possibly elevating the music quality because studios and TV stations are now able to get the best from all around the world at a competitive rate without having to compromise quality.

Digital festivals made possible thanks to the 5G-powered, digital-driven festival experience will allow artists to collaborate remotely on performances, with fans watching at home—and in some cases in both physical venues and inside the meta verse.

With the proliferation of 5G, artists in different locations are now able to dance and sing, syncing live their audio and visuals. This means that Western artists performing live at O2 stadium can sync with dancers in China on stage during a live television broadcast.

Live content distribution through 5G allows you to broadcast your music to anyone with 5G access all around the world—instantaneously. Independent artists are more and more keen on releasing their music and have more say in how they like their music distributed. Through the technology of faster and wider broadband, audiences are now moving towards a different experience— so long the artists are ‘good’ and have a stable, wide spectrum of following. Without a fan base, even with new technology, there will be no following.

From the concert experience and live performance perspective, artists are now able to keep more profits from this ‘new 5G/6G’ world. This technology also allows artists to record their motions and moves by wearing motion capture suits, and just like Star Trek, you could literally ‘beam’ the artists you like to anywhere you want them to play your favorite music. 

If you are a music student who wants to learn from the best, this new technology could help. In my last article, I mentioned the meta-verse music school—the idea of which is to be able to learn from the guru of your liking. Just imagine: you could invite Lang Lang or Beethoven into your home for a music lesson or even jam with any rock stars you like in your own living room. That would definitely make the music learning experience more fun and effective.