What's Happening?
Don Toliver, a prominent artist known for his melodic style, has shared insights into his unique process for discovering new music. In a conversation with pop singer Malcolm Todd for Rolling Stone's 'Musicians on Musicians' cover story, Toliver revealed
that he primarily finds 'crazy, obscure music' through Instagram. He specifically cited Instagram Stories, Reels, and photos as unexpected but rich sources for musical inspiration. Toliver explained that he doesn't actively search for music as much anymore but rather lets it come to him through his feed. He also mentioned enjoying Instagram pages dedicated to retro music videos and songs, which often resurface forgotten tracks. Beyond Instagram, Toliver also utilizes Apple Music and listens to a wide range of genres, including old and new music, house, and drum-and-bass, to help blend different styles in his own work. This approach allows him to continuously find fresh sounds that contribute to his distinctive artistic output.
Why It's Important?
Toliver's revelation highlights a significant shift in how artists and the general public discover music, emphasizing the growing influence of social media platforms like Instagram. His method underscores the platform's evolving role beyond just visual content sharing, transforming it into a powerful tool for music discovery and curation. This approach could inspire other artists to explore unconventional avenues for inspiration, potentially leading to more diverse and genre-blending musical creations. For the music industry, it suggests that marketing and discovery strategies need to adapt to these new digital behaviors, focusing on organic engagement within social media feeds rather than solely relying on traditional promotional channels. Furthermore, Toliver's success, partly attributed to this discovery method, demonstrates the effectiveness of leveraging personal digital consumption habits to fuel creative output, influencing how emerging artists might approach their own musical development and inspiration gathering.
What's Next?
The insights from Don Toliver could prompt a broader discussion within the music industry about the efficacy of social media as a primary music discovery tool for artists. Record labels and artist development teams might begin to analyze and integrate similar strategies, encouraging artists to actively engage with platforms like Instagram for inspiration rather than just promotion. This could lead to new trends in music curation and collaboration, as artists might increasingly connect through shared discoveries on social media. Additionally, music streaming services and social media platforms themselves may observe these trends and develop new features or algorithms designed to enhance music discovery based on user engagement with visual content. This could further blur the lines between social media, music streaming, and artistic development, creating a more integrated digital ecosystem for music.
Beyond the Headlines
Toliver's reliance on Instagram for music discovery points to a deeper cultural shift in how information and art are consumed in the digital age. It suggests a move away from curated, top-down recommendations towards a more serendipitous, algorithm-driven discovery process. This 'passive discovery' through social media feeds can expose artists to a wider, more eclectic range of sounds they might not have actively sought out, fostering greater cross-genre pollination and innovation. However, it also raises questions about the potential for echo chambers, where algorithms might inadvertently limit exposure to truly diverse content if not carefully balanced. Ethically, it highlights the power of these platforms in shaping artistic influences and potentially homogenizing tastes if artists primarily draw from what is algorithmically presented to them. This trend underscores the need for both artists and consumers to maintain a critical awareness of their digital consumption habits.
