Star Maker Machinery

Music as art is in serious trouble.

Music Intelligence Solutions has new software called Hit Song Science that uses a series of algorithms to look at the potential of a song to be "sticky" with a listener. It finds patterns of rhythm, harmony, chord progression, length and lyrics that correspond with what human brain waves find pleasing. A study by the Harvard Business School found the software was accurate 8 out of 10 times.

I thought American Idol was the evil machine behind the lack of creativity in new music, but this takes it to a new level. If record labels force artists to fit their songs into a hit-making algorithm, the industry will lose all of what little soul it has left. Talk about catering to the lowest common denominator.

Yeah it's sad, but it's already like that, major label often ask their artists to compose hit songs which are easy to litsen, will be played on the radio and then sell more.

It is true that, this has been a common problem for years. I have actually worked with a producer myself and experienced a great deal of frustration and disappointment in that environment. The producer had preconceived notions, as you mentioned, almost like a set formula, about how solo's should be arranged and played, how back ground vocals would fit and so on... However, I don't believe that artists that compose hit songs are befitting of their title. I know this is a kind of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," argument, but the fact is they are merely enforcing those exhausted archetypes; honestly, they are craftsmen at best. Part of the issue is integrity, a non-cookie cutter artist would not sell themselves in such a demeaning way. The radio is full of a bunch of self-serving hacks. It sucks. In my opinion, people latch onto what you give them. If radio play was more accepting of bands that weren't airbrushed the public would listen. Although, this may take the fun out of finding people who identify with genres that are typically obscure. Kyuss was a band that certainly never wanted full media coverage. Instead they rather have people listen who truly care about their music and understand it. I guess what I am saying is, I am unsatisfied as I always have been in the mainstream, but in some since it makes the estranged just that much more rewarding.