Key takeaways from our FORUM on the role of music in modern culture.
Chappell Roan at the 2025 Grammys - Kevin Winter/Getty Images
In short: of course we do.
But the question still cuts to the core of how music is experienced and valued today. From the artist, consumer and industry perspectives, the way we engage with music has changed dramatically. Ultimately, this topic highlights a fundamental tension between convenience and authenticity, accessibility and depth.
When Henry Bruce Jones posed this question in the SEED CLUB earlier this year, tongue firmly in cheek, he was highlighting a fundamental tension between convenience and authenticity, accessibility and depth, in how music is experienced and valued today. As you can see below, the conversation quickly snowballed to include topics such as:
whether our connection to music is still as profound as it once was;
how music has become commodified in a world where streaming and instant access have transformed our listening habits;
how streaming and instant access have affected artists’ identity, self-expression, and community.