Working on a single track for months. Taking the time to let an idea mature, perfecting details, and only releasing when everything feels right. According to Broken Element, that era is largely over. On Instagram, the producer recently shared how dramatically the role of an artist has changed. “Being a musician today is far more than just making music,” he writes. “The old romance of spending weeks or even months in the studio working on a single track is basically gone.”
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According to Broken Element, today’s landscape demands far more than just strong music. “You don’t just need great tracks anymore, but also the skillset of a creative director, marketer, networker, editor, ad manager, community builder and multi-platform content creator,” he states. “And that’s only the beginning.”
On top of that comes the constant pressure to keep up. “At the same time, you have to stay on top of new production techniques and trends,” he explains. The result is clear: “With every new task, the music itself gets pushed further down the priority list.” A bitter conclusion, especially since music is supposed to be the core of everything.
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Art versus algorithms
The question Broken Element raises connects to a broader discussion within the music industry. “Are we slowly drifting away from art and sliding into a quantity machine, purely to keep algorithms fed?” In today’s music climate, visibility and frequency play an increasingly important role. Releases follow one another at a rapid pace, while tracks are given less and less time to grow. The pressure to remain relevant is shifting further and further away from the studio and onto the screen.
At the same time, Broken Element is open about his own role in this reality. “I’m not saying I’m innocent in this myself,” he writes. “It’s part of this new era, and like any job, you have to adapt.”
Searching for balance
Still, he refuses to fully surrender to a system driven purely by speed. “I still believe that quality, purpose and depth are the foundation of something real and lasting.”
That search for balance can also be seen with other acts. In the PLAFONDDIENST podcast, the members of Faceless spoke about the sheer number of tasks that come with being an artist today. “There’s so much involved in being an artist nowadays,” says Didier. “Social media alone is almost a full-time job, and on top of that you still have to produce, perform and attend meetings. For those who do everything on their own: hats off.”
Within Faceless, collaboration is therefore a conscious choice. Tasks are divided to preserve creative space and to prevent everything from landing on one person alone.
