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The field of commercial music is an economy of the familiar.
Success is a tug of war between tested formulas and unique personal style the balance is key.
But attitudes toward borrowing in music have changed incrementally since the end of the 20th century.
80s rap was a Wild West period of collage art made through mostly uncontested cribbing.
In the aughts, rappers tried each others beats and flows out to prove their proficiency and versatility.
In 2019, the ways in which music is borrowed is more subversive.
Thats because the job of a pop star is different than what it used to be.
Today, its a game of ceaseless, crafty annexation.
The sound of this decades pop doesnt stem from a common experience that drives people toward similar interests.
Carelessness in a climate like this one can be costly.
He sees EDM flourishing, and he fishes for house production.
He hears hits using triplet flows, and he gets proficient at fast raps.
The practice has earned him respect and scorn in equal measure.
He uplifts rising talent by giving young creatives sought-after space on his tours and records.
Imagine that in rap, or imagine that in R&B.
Its the age-old line about imitation being an act of flattery.
As Drake and the Weeknds downcast vibes infiltrated the charts, smart young upstarts saw a window of opportunity.
Tory Lanez, Bryson Tiller, 6lack, and other bankable stars rose out of the moment.
The cycle never stops, least of all when youre on top.
Playlist algorithms lead us to songs that resemble the ones we already like.
Its often made and digested quickly.
Less and less people buy CDs each year.
We stream songs we never get to feel like we own.
Music is math, but the business is textbook American economics.
The sure bet is king.
