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The Economics of Streaming is Making Songs Shorter (qz.com)
Popular music is shrinking. From 2013 to 2018, the average song on the Billboard Hot 100 fell from 3 minutes and 50 seconds to about 3 minutes and 30 seconds. From a report: Six percent of hit songs were 2 minutes 30 seconds or shorter in 2018, up from just 1% five years before. Take Kendrick Lamar. One of the world's most popular musicians right now. The average track length on Lamar's breakout 2013 album good kid, m.A.A.d city is 5 minutes 37 seconds. All are 3 minutes 30 seconds or longer. On Lamar's most recent album DAMN., the average song is 3 minutes and 57 seconds. DAMN. won the Pulitzer Prize for music, going to show that this trend isn't necessarily lowering the quality of music. It's not just Lamar. The trend can be seen in albums of music's biggest stars, like the rapper and singer Drake, perhaps pop music's most dominant force.
In the hey day of AM radio the songs aimed for 2 min 30 seconds. It's not economics. And on top of that, comparing averages to individual songs is also silly. Half fo them will be longer than the median. Lastly Album oriented music tends to be longer than radio/stream oriented music because the former has a larger story telling context and the latter is about a catchy vibe.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Long term trend is actually the reverse; although it might well be starting to turn around now for reasons that may or may not be related to streaming economics... but my grandparents and parents generations both lived with most hit music being sub-3 minutes. While my generation and my kids saw it climb to 4+ so its hardly a big deal its down a bit.
2010's: 4'26"
2000's: 4'10"
1990's: 4'14"
1980's: 4'08"
1970's: 3'55"
1960's: 2'59"
1950's: 2'36"
1940's: 2'41"
https://thelister.blogspot.com...
In the middle of last century, the 45 rpm record did the exact same thing. Before that, pop songs would have long intros and the singer might not come in until the third chorus. For example, here's a Tommy Dorsey/Sinatra record from the 40's that was a big hit (it's a cool tune, so you should listen to it):
https://youtu.be/M_EPgmVaLWA
I wish some Tommy Dorsey/Sinatra tunes could have made it into the Fallout games. The song still comes in at 3:19, but the structure is pure 78 rpm.
Once the 45 rpm came out, it was one measure and the singer comes in. Verse/chorus/verse/chorus. Not even a bridge sometimes.
https://youtu.be/-eHJ12Vhpyc
It has been said that 3 minutes should be the outer limit for a pop song. One of the greatest records of all time had an average song length of about 2 minutes, and many songs much shorter. Here is a great song from The Ramones' self-titled first record that comes in at exactly 1:30. No fat, no filler, all pumping pure pop goodness.
https://youtu.be/K6GAGdBiJF0
You are welcome on my lawn.
Streaming has changed modern music - but it is the song introduction that has changed, not the duration. A song has to "hook" people within the first 15 seconds or else the listener will hit next. When this happens, the streaming service does not have to pay the artist. With traditional radio, songs could start up slowly. This gave artists had more flexibility in how the music was presented. With streaming, artists have around 15 seconds to sell their tune. It is limiting - but the price one has to pay for the way streaming currently operates.
**Note; I have forgotten the exact time so 15 seconds might be off. But it is close to 15.