Art of Listening with Keith Jopling #1
This week we are delighted to launch a new series ‘Art of Listening’ from the ever incisive Keith Jopling.
Bringing a new angle to the FAC’s output, with an under-explored area of music which is both critical yet very rarely discussed - how we listen. As fans - our tastes change and our attention spans compete constantly between music and everything else! The role of artists, formats, marketing and discovery platforms is explored as Keith looks to explore just how much we value music.
The FAC’s Art of Listening blog will be published on a roughly bi-weekly basis, and this week we kick off the series with ‘Who am I kidding, of course my ears are oysters’.
Can AI help with my Listening Anxiety?
Earlier this year, I wrote an essay on my blog, called “My Ears Are Not Oysters” in which I set a new goal to listen to less music. In that post I set out my logic but in a nutshell, the idea was to appreciate music more, sipping it rather than drinking it from a firehose of streaming services and a rising pile of vinyl records. A few months on I am writing to report my progress.
It’s been hopeless.
Who am I kidding? Of course my ears are oysters. The problem, if you can call it that, is simply too much really good music. During September, the slate of new album releases by some of my favourite artists was rich: Nick Cave, Tindersticks, Chilly Gonzales, Jake Bugg, Joan As Police Woman, Gemma Hayes, The Smile (album no. 2 of 2), Maximo Park, Mercury Rev, Public Service Broadcasting and Floating Points. All of these records are class.
Add to this some new releases by new artists I’m intrigued by, served up by various recommendation sources (more on this to follow): Fousheé, Gurriers, Katy J Pearson, Rio 18 (Radio Chevere) and Christian Lee Hutson.
I was already still playing catch up on my favourite summer releases by Fontaines, Los Campesinos!, Jack White, Manu Chao, Nada Surf, Honeyglaze and Wunderhorse.
On top of this, I feel a duty to give the Beabadoobee album another go (I love to hear those transitional records by artists that are ‘maturing’ their sound) and have a morbid fascination to check out Coldplay’s Moon Music, after Will Hodgskinson of The Times said that Chris Martin sounds like a “groovy Vicar” (he does indeed).
Bear with me…there is a punchline.
On my curiosity list (yet to be played) are new records by Leon Bridges, London Grammar, David Gilmour, Nick Lowe, Orlando Weeks, The Linda Lindas, Thee Sacred Souls and Rahim C Redcar (aka Christine and the Queens aka Chris).
Finally, like you I’m anticipating new releases by some more greats in the coming months: Michael Kiwanuka, David Gray, Father John Misty, Bon Iver, Jerry Cantrell, Underworld, Laura Marling. Oh, and THE CURE!
I’ve been vocal in the past about Spotify’s lack of emphasis on the art form that is the album, but since the platform finally did something and introduced Countdown, it has sort of increased my listening anxiety even further…(this isn’t a criticism, I think Countdown is great, if long overdue).
Now, from the above list, I’ve bound to have missed quite a few, but you get the point - the above is already quite enough for two overworked ears. My policy of listening to less has been a categorical failure and my Listening Anxiety* is higher than ever.
So far I’ve only talked about new music. If I was to get into catalogue at this point, it’s possible that I might either explode or curl up and make a vow to a life of silence. Just briefly though, I will have to mention that since I started reading the biography of Lawrence by Will Hodgkinson (him again, adding to my listening anxiety through brilliantly arranging words on a page) I am now committed to familiarising myself with the catalogue of Felt and Denim, two bands I knew absolutely nothing about but between them amassed some 11 studio albums.
Is it just me or are other music fans ‘suffering’ out there? Now, I realise that listening anxiety is up there with first world problems such as the rising price of a flat white and choosing a family film on Netflix, but it is a problem, isn’t it? Surely it's not just me and Steve Lamacq.
As a music fanatic, I am constantly toggling between the thrill of the new record versus building familiarity through repeated (even obsessive) listening. And then still finding space for those favourite records that come with a guarantee to lift the mood. I’ve tried many solutions in the past. Switching from albums to songs and playlists (didn’t work - too many songs). Reserving proper listening sessions for vinyl only (didn’t work - too expensive). Reserving two evenings a week to focus on listening on headphones (didn’t work - not enough time).
But, discerning listeners, I have another, brand new solution.
I’ve always felt like the different entertainment verticals - music, TV, film, games, books - are very different from each other. But the more ‘content’ flowing our way, the more I feel like they are essentially similar - a trade-off decision as to how you want to spend the next precious hour of our lives.
So here is a new listening regime I am practising for the next few months: listening just once.
I’m going to give all the above mentioned new albums a go with the acceptance that I may only hear these records just once. Like watching a movie or reading a book or a TV series. For sure, if I think I’m going to really love the record, I’ll give it another spin. There’s always a chance then it’ll become a favourite, and I’ll commit to buying the vinyl. But it’s unlikely. Or I can impose a limit - choose one album a month to stick with in some form or other.
I wonder then, if Spotify can help here? Or maybe this is more in the wheelhouse of the delightful hi-res music underdog Qobuz (excellent album recommendations btw!). As with Countdown, could streaming services help with scheduling focused album Listening Sessions?
You use the app to schedule the session, and once done, the album evaporates from your library (unless you have given it a thumbs up or save). The session can be personal or shared. It works like a Bandcamp Listening Party, but is more a feature for fans/listeners rather than a promotional vehicle for artists.
You can always access the data from your sessions history - perhaps nicely visualised at the end of the year, like Wrapped. It will remind you of those albums you have yet to listen to and give you the option to hold or discard it. In an ideal world, this would develop (using AI of course), to measure your emotional response, data that might help decide whether to listen again or let it go.
It’s just a thought. Countdown has restored my faith to some extent that streaming can help us appreciate albums, but it feels like just the start. After all, albums are not going anywhere - they are still the ideal format for music despite the ever-changing tech and cultural landscape.
On this blog, I’ll post more on formats, discovery, enjoyment and listening. I’d love to hear your suggestions and thoughts on anything in response or future topics to dwell on.
* A slight variation on the official definition of the condition but surely a valid thing for all enthusiastic music fans
P.s. Fortunately, I have no interest in listening to AI generated music, so no fear of that contributing to the problem, but I would be interested in an AI that can multiply my capacity for listening time…solve that one music tech community!
Learn more about Keith Jopling:
Keith is a music strategist, advisor, consultant, writer and mentor. In 2021 he started the music podcast The Art of Longevity, featured under Spotify’s “must listen” music podcasts and on all other platforms. The archive sits on his music curation site The Song Sommelier.
Keith has worked with the boardrooms of labels, streaming services, start-ups and investors. He has held previous roles with Sony Music, Spotify, EMI and the BPI. Most recently he was Consulting Director at boutique music agency MIDiA Research (2019-2024) and began his career in music as Research Director at global trade body IFPI (2000-2006).
As an educator, he has lectured in music business, strategy and innovation at Henley Business School, NYU, BIMM, ACM, Belmont, Syracuse, Westminster and the University of Krems, Austria.