"AI Will Empower More Artists To Create Music In 2025 "-Arnesh Ghose- Brand Architect & Content Strategist

“I’m so Julia!” reverberated from the alleys of social media to physical spaces as Charli XCX’s ‘brat’ took over our reel as well as real life. Electronic music breathed new life into the mainstream when the British singer released this bop! Like this, many trends were witnessed by the music industry in 2024. The year was a seminal and game-changing one for the music industry. From cross-cultural collaborations to the invasion of Artificial Intelligence to live gigs taking a new form, the conventional understanding of music was challenged for the good! As we welcome the new year, the trends emerging in 2024 are ready to transform into new norms shaping the future of the music industry.

Collaboration Is The Name Of The Game

Indian artists proved their mettle and versatility in 2024. The year saw homegrown artists take over the globe with their genre-defying music. Be it Kratex creating the club banger ‘Tambdi Chaambdi’ or Hanumankind reaching the higher echelons of fame with his global hit ‘Big Dawgs.’ They proved that Indian music is beyond classical and Bollywood. 

However, one of the biggest artists who emerged out of India and represented Punjabi culture at its best was Diljit Dosanjh. Collaborating with Sia, Sweetie, NLE Choppa, and others proved that artists can maintain their artistic and cultural identities while catering to global sensibilities. Another remarkable example is ‘APT’ by Rosé and Bruno Mars. Two artists with distinctive sounds and genres created an instant hit, proving the magic of cross-cultural collaborations. 

The Gutenberg Effect—AI Helping To Democratise Music

During the 15th century, the world experienced a literary revolution with the invention of the printing press, liberating the masses from the clutches of literary monopoly. In the 21st century, Artificial Intelligence is playing that role to help music artists, without formal training, to push the world to the cusp of mass creativity. 

Artificial Intelligence in music production has given rise to many ethical and legal questions. However, there have been efforts by artists like Grimes to lay legal frameworks to allow individuals to create music without any copyright infringement. She, through her AI music platform Elf.Tech, will allow music creators to use her AI-generated voice, helping them to roll out their music through a proper channel.

However, music has always been a transcendental medium, going beyond cultural and linguistic boundaries to take us through a gamut of emotions. This universal language is now dethroned by algorithms, stripping the medium of any human emotive creativity. Recently, Drake received criticism for using an AI-generated voice of Tupac in his Kendrick Lamar diss track ‘Taylor Made Freestyle,’ blurring the lines between originality and creativity.

‘Tauba Tauba’ And The Power Of Social Media

Dharma Productions yet again brought the power of social media at play to promote the Vicky Kaushal and Triptii Dimri-starrer ‘Bad Newzz’. The Karan Aujla-sung pop song ‘Tauba Tauba’ reached every nook and corner of the country and beyond. It landed on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 at the 25th spot in July 2024. Vicky Kaushal’s smooth moves and sweet interaction with fans, coupled with influencer engagement, further propelled the phenomenon. 

While in the West, Charli XCX took over the charts and other cultural spaces with her Grammy-nominated album ‘brat’. According to Launchmetrics, the album generated $22.5 million in MIV (Media Impact Value). From politicians to stars to brands, everyone jumped on the bandwagon. 

These two examples lay the framework of how social media can impact music marketing, sometimes better than streaming platforms. Instagram and TikTok provide a launch pad for songs, making them viral and in turn, helping the artists to garner numbers on streaming platforms.

Apart from these, trends like live gigs have been prominent post-pandemic. Due to rising purchasing power and fervour for live experiences, both fans and brands are making experiential investments. Branding and image-building is another phenomenon helping artists to become brands, upholding the Jay-Z verse, “Put me anywhere on God’s green earth; I'll triple my worth.”

Music has become a dynamic entity, becoming a cultural currency. The year has set the stage for cross-cultural collaborations to take over the music charts; AI will empower more artists to create music, and social media will boost the reach of music, remaining an undisputed channel. For advertisers and marketers, these trends will open new avenues of opportunities. In 2025, the music industry will lead the cultural reset and innovation.