Record Labels Aren't Breaking New Artists: Olivia Rodrigo, Ice Spice The Last Organic Ones?

Streaming has changed the way the music industry operates. With the addition of TikTok, music industry executives are at a standstill, thinking how difficult it is to "break" an artist nowadays.

Among them, many have cited two artists in particular who have recently penetrated popular consciousness - Olivia Rodrigo and Ice Spice.

Record Labels Are 'Depressed'

According to a Billboard report, labels are currently struggling to break new artists with the current facets that contribute to one achieving a career breakthrough.

"Nobody knows how to break music right now," a senior executive said, as quoted by Billboard. "I think they're all lost."

Notably, the question that bugs many was that how can one say that an artist has made a breakthrough. Was it after they get billions of streams but can't fill a venue for a performance? Or was it if they get several hits but still go unrecognizable outside?

According to J. Erving of Human Re Sources, an artist services and distribution company: "There is a need and a desire for new artists that have real substance - artists that are more than just a song, that we can really lean into, buy concert tickets, buy [merchandise]."

While the blame might be put on the artist, the same senior executive seemed to note otherwise, shifting the blame to poor label decision-making.

"Labels signed more and signed worse than ever before in the decade-plus I've been at a major," he said.

The report also revealed that the struggle might be attributed to the decline of radio and other mass media. Not to mention how difficult to predict TikTok's algorithm. In the past few months, music labels have required public campaigns of artists to be made on TikTok; take for example, Halsey, who has been denied release of her music until a plan has been set on place for a publicity stunt on TikTok.

Olivia Rodrigo, Ice Spice The Last Organic Ones?

The numerous industry executives in the Billboard report came together and pointed out that the last pop artist to have achieved such a huge break was Olivia Rodrigo. The "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" alum had four Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 in 2021 and had two of her first two albums' lead singles debut on the Top 1 of the Hot 100.

Meanwhile, Ice Spice, who hasn't had a full year yet since she achieved mainstream popularity - seemed to have been on the fastest rollercoaster ride as she had four Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits, a MetGala appearance, inclusion on the "Barbie" soundtrack, and collaboration with Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift.

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