The music industry has changed almost beyond comprehension in recent years. The label system and the luck of the draw that budding artists were subjected to has been blasted wide open by the prevalence of online platforms. Anyone can create music anywhere, and if they use social media and other digital means well enough, they can soar to the top of the charts. How has digital technology helped change the music industry – and did it take its influence from the success of digital forms of roulette?
The best example of using digital means to create a music career comes from Lil Nas X. The artist found that his music wasn’t getting much attention online, but his social media presence was fairly strong. So, he began creating riffs to be used on TikTok, which inevitably became TikTok dance challenges and even memes. Whenever anyone did the challenge, they fed back to Lil Nas X. So, when he launched his debut Old Town Road on the platform, it soared in popularity. Eventually, the song was made into a hit remix with Billy Ray Cyrus, which became the longest-running number-one on the Billboard Top 100 chart since 1958.
A much more traditional industry has been able to dominate in the same way – the online casino one. Casino, especially roulette, has been popular for around 500 years, so changing the shape of the game by moving online was no easy feat. But developers were able to benefit from the digital format to add elements to the game which surpassed what could be traditionally done. Not only did this provide a new gaming experience for existing roulette players, but it attracted new people to the game who wanted to engage with this new technology.
Digital technology meant that roulette could be remastered. There is much variety when you play casino roulette games online – with European and American rules roulette being available to switch between, gimmicks such as lower bankrolls, and Money Back Roulette, which returns your money if the ball lands on 0. These alternative ways of playing the game benefit from the fact they can be easily programmed and players can join the game from around the world. So more obscure versions are still worth creating. Like the music industry, the online casino industry showed that digital platforms didn’t have to alter the product, just how it was achieved in the first place.
The future of the music industry being so digital means that people who otherwise would never have had a chance to showcase their music are now able to. Moreover, it means that audiences can engage with more genres and obscure artists through SoundCloud, YouTube, or their social media – without having to spend a penny by buying records or albums.
The lower barrier to the industry has changed the game but doesn’t change the result of an artist producing a song that people love and enjoy. This is much like roulette, which was adapted online and retained the basic elements that made the game enjoyable. Digital technology has given both a new lease of life and shaken up an old industry providing more people with a chance to get involved with it.
