Just like that! The holidays have come and gone; celebrations, reflections, and our precious down time have suddenly wrapped up. Now we’re back in the swing of things, seeking to get into our groove and maximize on the potential that 2023 has to offer. If you are looking for some insight on ways to expand your mind, taste, and network, look no further. This year, we are going to make sure you are served with new ideas from friends of ARMC, new artists that we will spotlight from Africa and around the globe, and also keep you updated on what to expect from the Africa Rising Music Conference.
Now it’s time to tap into our visionary selves and dive into what 2023 might have to offer, and this is also based on the twists and turns of last year. You know what they say: to understand where you are going, you must know where you come from.
NFTS Return
What we are not going to do is sleep on tech this year. We are certain that we will see a resurgence in NTFS as the bull market returns, or, in layman’s terms, an uptrend in the financial market, meaning that all the crypto-related music industry anticipation, which includes NFTS, tokenized fan communities, and the metaverse, will return stronger than ever.
Sync licensing redefined
With changes in the way we see music being experienced and consumed, sync licensing will see further shifts over and above how we typically understand music licensing, which is mainly through television, commercials, and video games. We should be prepared to become more integrated into tech and interactive content such as Roblox and corporate NFTS.
AI vs. Human Creativity
The big AI debate will definitely become more prominent as the idea of technology and creativity comes to the fore; questions surrounding ownership and copyright will also be a part of the debate.
We’re all in this together.
Much like in 2022, the idea of building a strong community will be a running theme in 2023 too, as more independent artists emerge outside of the label framework. The community will most certainly be the backbone of artist support, growth, and progress. Leveraging different networks that represent the differences and similarities in one another will build us up.
Creators First
Musicians will evolve further and become more open to the idea that they cannot exist as one thing because of the nature of the music industry and social media’s single-handed impact on the way in which people consume music. More musicians will evolve into creators as a means to thrive in a creator-centered business.
Emerging markets will have more time to shine.
Non-English speaking countries will continue to dominate the world stage as emerging markets dominate creative soundscapes while simultaneously seeing a rise in streaming and music consumption in these markets. This means that there will be a lot more cross-cultural collaboration because, you know, no one wants to be left out.
These are only some of the things that we believe will shape the music industry as we know it in 2023, and we are sure that there are a lot more where that came from. Of course, we’re going to make sure that we keep you up to date with any radical shifts or major changes that will affect how we move forward as a collective in our respective fields. That’s it from us; see you on the flipside, and make sure you stay locked in for the latest in African and European music, and don’t forget to make the most of your 2023.