The Dream, Pitbull & Gallant
Getty Images; John Russo
“What’s happening in America and around the world right now requires artists to really think about what they put out. I’m hopeful the political and social climate will inspire great art.”
—Bibi Bourelly
“I predict the end of exclusives. Fans don’t want to have to choose between various services to find the music they love, and labels don’t seem to be fans of it either.”
—Matt Colon, Co-founder, Deckstar Management
“The 10th anniversary of my album Love Hate will be a beautiful thing in December. I’m going to do a whole tour. Rihanna told me, ‘You better do this!’ ”
—The-Dream
“There will be several major anthems speaking to the current sociopolitical climate, but my money is on Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff to write the chart-topper.”
—Walter Frye, Vp global entertainment and premier events, American Express
“I’ve been rooting for the streaming model since before Spotify came to the United States — streams feel like an honest unit of measurement, as listeners democratically separate the cream from the crop. Hopefully, 2017 will see more long-standing forms of music broadcasting taking into account what might be bubbling slightly below the surface of the consumer world.”
—Gallant
“Everyone wants to be called a storyteller, but publicists have the best claim to the title. In 2017, our focus will be more on the narrative, less on the media outlet.”
—Marilyn Laverty, President, Shore Fire Media
“More artists will create music in the spirit of social action. There seems a need, and perhaps responsibility, for artists to bring people together in a world where there is great division.”
—Kimbra
“I’m hoping 2017 elaborates on the downtempo melodic trend while shining a light on underground and house.”
—Austin Kramer, Global head, dance and electronic music; Spotify
“Arabic singing will crash through to the American mainstream, mark my words!”
—Emel Mathlouthi, Tunisian protest singer-songwriter
“With the success of A Tribe Called Quest’s album, I see label execs taking a harder look at legacy hip-hop artists on their rosters and realizing there’s a viable commercial opportunity for new music, as long as it’s top-notch.”
—Julian K. Petty, Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP
“2016 was about that Trinidad soca/reggaetón beat hitting the airwaves. Now, I’m seeing a lot of funk coming back. People want to dance, have fun and enjoy themselves!”
—Pitbull
“Fans want more immersive experiences, and both artists and brands have pushed boundaries here. In 2017, experiential will evolve to feed the fans’ desire for what’s next while challenging their thinking.”
—Emma Quigley, Head of music and entertainment, PepsiCo
“Savvy rights holders will measure and focus on ‘return on attention,’ versus ‘return on investment,’ as a metric to choose which platforms they place their media onto.”
—Benji Rogers, co-founder, Dot Blockchain Music
“With the oversaturated, repetitive nature of dance music, watching artists shift their style to create more streaming-friendly records will be interesting.”
—Moe Shalizi, Red Light Management
“We’ve heard about the lack of new females having success in country, but 2017 will be different. Maren Morris is leading the charge; I see Cam and Carly Pearce breaking through in a big way.”
—Clarence Spalding, Manager, Maverick