What We Talk About When We Talk About Funk

This piece originally appeared on May 4, 2024 in Sound Signal, our biweekly newsletter that identifies emerging artists, scenes, and trending tracks, crafted by the world's best writers and curators. Sign up here to never miss our take on what's next in music.

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A friend recently shared a playlist and declared he’d found “the best list Spotify has ever done.” The playlist had Kevin Parker on the cover, with the words “Funk Mix” strewn beneath the Australian's tangled locks. My mix didn’t have any Tame Impala but contained an odd smattering of free jazz, Scandinavian disco, golden-era hip-hop, afrobeats, and Caroline Polacheck. This is all music I adore, but very little of it constitutes what I, or most, would consider funk.

These are examples of Spotify’s new genre and niche mixes—a suite of algorithmic playlists that provide a nearly limitless library of personalized listening experiences (i.e., playlists). Like many of Spotify’s recent feature roll-outs and updates to their in-house recommendations engine, this prioritizes familiarity over precision or discovery: Every track on my mix was by an artist I’d listened to in the past three months. Spotify was making the bet that a user will prefer to listen to a track by an artist they know and love rather than one by an artist they are unfamiliar with.

When you alternately crowdsource the definition of genres (e.g., funk) and personalize that definition to fit the taste or understanding of an individual user (i.e, Caroline P as funk), do words have fixed meanings, or are they mood boards intended to curate vibes and keep people engaged? Does it matter that subsequent generations might think that “funk” is made by the lead singer of Chairlift?

But, linguistic concerns aside, this presents another obstacle for new artists hoping to break in an increasingly difficult landscape. Every year, catalog material takes an increasingly large chunk of the listening pie; TV and film music syncs are both the fastest growth sector in music and locked in an increasingly tightening nostalgia cycle. This may be a good business model–it creates higher user engagement–but it leads to a decrease in demand (and ultimately revenue) for new artists. If demand is falling, then supply has increased significantly thanks to the advances in creator tools and AI-generated music. This makes it exponentially difficult for one group to break through at any given moment, and underlines how impressive and worth celebrating the accomplishments of the artists in Sound Signal really are. We hope that those receiving this newsletter—the critics, journalists, DJs, curators, and executives who still wield considerable power—agree, and proactively think through ways to amplify their work.

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If you’re aiming to uncover emerging artists, grasp key cultural shifts, or gain actionable insights from data-driven research, Third Bridge Creative delivers the expertise you need. Connect with our Music Intelligence team today to learn how we can help your organization navigate the cultural zeitgeist with precision and impact.