Can you remember a time before YouTube? It was only a few years ago that it was just a burgeoning website that offered a whole new type of service. At first, people really didn’t pay attention. But as more videos became viral, the owners and operators knew they had something on their hands. Flash forward to today and popular culture is unimaginable without the thought of YouTube serving as a cornerstone. It’s where things are shared, movements are started, and people are connected. No other form of business has been affected more powerfully than the music industry. YouTube has played a profound role in changing how things work, and ultimately affecting your life whether you realize it or not.
Videos Right Now – if you’re old enough, you might remember a time when music videos were heavily associated with MTV. Of course now we live in an age when MTV is more known for reality programs like “Jersey Shore” or “Punk’d”. In fact, you have to search pretty hard to find music videos on MTV these days. It used to be that kids would crowd around the television hoping their favorite videos would come on. But now they have the power to watch videos at the touch of a button using YouTube. It’s a whole new type of dynamic that makes music videos a more powerful medium then ever. While you might not see them on television anymore, they are still as impactful as ever, and that’s why stars are still thinking up new ways to blow their fans away through their videos.
Views Matter – a simple little counter at the bottom of each YouTube video lets people know how many others have viewed it. It’s a basic feature, but it’s also a proven measure of popularity. It’s a quick gauge as to how popular a music artist is, and it’s usually a reflection of how many record sales they have. Music artists and record companies aim for the highest these possible to serve as bragging rights in the music industry. This is something that never existed before, and it’s definitely had an impact on how different artists are measured and compared.
Music for Free – the entertainment industry has always been worried about free access to music, television, and movies. It has tried to enact some strict measures to control access to their product. It’s understandable since fears of privacy have always threatened to knock down their profits. But has it really affected music sales? It seems that true fans will always be willing to pay money for traditional CDs or downloads. Having access to free music serves to get the word out on new songs, and it’s one of the best marketing tools around. We might need a few more years to determine the ultimate impact of having music so instantly accessible, but so far it hasn’t been a bad thing.
Instant Karaoke – all of these music videos on YouTube has impacted other forms of entertainment such as karaoke. There was a time when you had to buy an expensive karaoke machine if you wanted to participate in this unique hobby. But now there are plenty of songs available on YouTube that come in karaoke format, and add allow people to sing along at any time. You don’t even need a microphone or any extra software when you’re using YouTube. You can even edit and compile your own CDs to play at parties.
Star Making – perhaps the biggest impact YouTube has had on the music industry is the ability to turn regular people into stars. The biggest example is Justin Bieber, and there are plenty of young people looking to follow in his footsteps. It takes a lot of talent and even more luck, but now it’s possible for regular people to put videos on YouTube and become stars the next day. They still need the talent to back up their initial popularity, but that’s exactly what young Mr. Bieber has done. It has inspired a whole new generation to reach for the stars and hope that their dreams come true. All you have to do is look for all the various YouTube channels featuring young people looking to become the next hit.
There are lots of ways to enjoy music and YouTube is just one of them. If you’ve ever had an interest in singing, you can visit http://karaokemachineguide.com/ for reviews and information on some of the best equipment available. Singing at home is a great way to express yourself, and the perfect thing to bring friends and family together on the weekend.