On April 5th, 2024, Chappell Roan started with around 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify; around 5 months later, she skyrocketed to just above 40 million. Roan wasn’t the only one to achieve these numbers; megastar artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and Charli xcx have gained a substantial audience over the summer while less popular artists such as Jane Remover and Underscores are still finding their following in the underground scene. What enables these artists to grow a devoted group of fans so quickly?
For starters, the rise of the Internet has changed the way people can display their art. The ever-increasing amount of social media has helped the diffusion of music around the globe.
“I think the internet has a positive [impact],” said senior Christian Carroll who shares his art online. “There are so many genres and niches that would find no audience without the globalization of social media.”
Like Carroll, many other students produce and share their art through social media.
“[Freshman] Gabe Goodwin writes and composes music and uses social media to display and sell his work,” said Instrumental Director David Boone.
The internet does not just display art, though. It opens up the ability to find art that matches their personality. Applications like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are just a few platforms that provide videos that cater to people’s personalities. A complex system referred to as “The Algorithm” pushes content towards viewers who will likely interact with it and enjoy it.
“Songs like ‘Shadow’ by Livingston, ‘Beautiful Things’ by Benson Boone, and ‘Belong Together’ by Mark Ambor would never have found their way onto my playlists without hearing them on places like YouTube Shorts,” said sophomore Elliott Myers.
Some “online artists” have created an audience by being “One-Hit Wonders,” while other artists have had their careers skyrocket.
“I’ve certainly noticed a spike with Sabrina Carpenter over the past two months or so,” said Myers. “With her newest singles and albums, she went from six million monthly listeners to about 60+ million.”
Nowadays, with the rise of the internet, people have not just the ability to send out their art into the online community but also to discover the music that resonates with them the most. To find the music and artists that best fit your taste, visit https://everynoise.com/ OR https://soundcloud.com/.
