Enshittification
Platforms follow a predictable decline pattern. They draw in creators and audiences with genuinely helpful services, then exploit both to serve advertisers, and finally extract maximum value from everyone, including the advertisers. Each phase remains profitable.
AI
More happened this week that the music industry will be arguing about for the next decade! Google acquired ProducerAI. Lyria 3 now generates a full vocal track, with lyrics, in the time it takes a publisher to find a contract template. Meta is deploying stablecoin payments to 3.58 billion people.
Invest
Six layers of the AI music value chain, creation, remix, distribution, production, integrity, and visibility, moved simultaneously for the first time. A market that was experimental last year is organized this year, and organized markets have non-negotiable infrastructure requirements.