The Rise of the Internet Driven Artist

Abstract

This paper analyzes the affects that social media (namely YouTube and Twitter) has had on creativity amongst modern independent musicians. I dissect how musicians make their creative choices based on trends online as well as the influence of other musicians around them. I also compare and contrast how the internet has affected the potential reach of independent vs. mainstream musicians. Finally, my paper takes personal accounts as well a specific case study of online musicians to analyze how success is measured and creativity transformed.