Is the Music Industry Sustainable?
Is music sustainable? This may seem like a silly question, but understand that everything tangible requires the use of resources. We need resources to produce instruments and other equipment to make music. Does that mean that if we keep producing instruments, we will blast ourselves into the stone age? Of course not, but as inhabitance of this planet, it’s important to consider how we impact the earth as a whole?
When compared to the other things that impact our environment a millennium of creating music barely makes a dent when compared to the plethora of resources used to fuel our modern lives. In that respect, it is doubtful that we will run out of resources for music any time soon, however, music involves more than just the physical materials needed to create the music. We need to consider the sustainability of those in the music industry, considering as many elements as possible, like transportation and merchandise. Unlike the physical tools necessary to create music surviving on the life provided by the music industry itself might not be sustainable.
With a plethora new artists and all the changes, the music industry has undergone in the past few decades alone, it is unlikely that the music industry will continue to be able to sustain itself forever without making some serious changes. With the rise of indie music and social platforms, artists have multiple routes to fame and fortune. It is easier for artists to produce music without the constraints of the music industry.
Whether the music industry is sustainable is irrelevant in the long run. Everything gives way to time, and there are multiple paths to the same end. As long as you do your best in following your dreams, you can live your life without the regret of never having tried no matter what obstacles you are presented with.