BS (Before Streaming) AS (After Streaming)
BS: Long Music
I vaguely recall long songs, long hair, and muddy outdoor events that somehow felt both magical and unsanitary. The world seemed ablaze—sometimes literally—and musicians came to the rescue with protest songs and peace anthems that defined an era.
AS: Short Music
Today, music’s biggest revolutions happen in 15-second bursts. The beats and lyrics are often mesmerizing, with activism hashtagged and paired with a sponsored skincare collab. The only mud now is found at self-care retreats.
BS: Natural Music
Before GarageBand, musicians had to play actual instruments. Beats were banged out with sticks, and guitar heroes strummed, picked, and shredded their way to stardom. The music was organic—raw, imperfect, and undeniably real.
AS: Smart Music
Today’s music is so polished it can feel like a reflection in a digital mirror. For many, the magic wouldn’t be possible without the silicone chip. We’ve traded broken sticks and bleeding fingers for flawless vocals, and live musical missteps are now so rare they’re almost charming.
BS: Mercenary Music
Songwriters of the past wielded guitars and poetic angst like weapons, giving voice to a generation more interested in love than war. Armed with acoustic guitars, musicians turned existential crises into us-versus-them anthems that could launch movements.
AS: Meme Music
Today’s songwriters trade big ideas for clever wordplay that grabs fleeting attention spans. Forget albums or even EPs—singles with strong hooks (and a runtime under three minutes) dominate. In the streaming age, sooner is better than later.
BS: Scratchy Music
Warn vinyl, warbling tape, and FM stations playing the same songs endlessly—ah, the vintage sound! If you were lucky enough to own a Sony Walkman in 1979, you experienced music that sounded better and could almost fit in your pocket.
AS: Compressed Music
Today, music streams effortlessly through every device in the house—or on your person. But without sufficient bandwidth, something’s missing. Bandwidth costs money, but so do the vinyl records that purists crave.
But wait… remember “downloads” ….. they came after CD’s and these days you can download a master quality track on Apple Music for just 99 cents! Give it a try!
Aj