Algorithms aren’t just determining what’s popping up on your personal playlist. The data inputs and trends on technology are also leading modern country artists to shape their set lists.
Though Jason Aldean doesn’t care at all for AI infiltrating music, the country star doesn’t mind the art of the algorithm. Music discovery is a lot different than it used to be. Radio DJs used to be the ones to put new music in front of people. Now, a computer gathers all of a person’s past listens and favorite artists and makes an educated, statistical guess on what they want to hear next.
I guess you could say the future is now.
While not everyone is a fan of the power of the algorithm in the music industry, and understandably so, there are some positives. Like this example from Jason Aldean, who because of social media, he basically rediscovered one of his old hits, and decided it was time to put it back into his live shows.
At his recent Youngstown, Ohio tour stop, the “Try That In A Small Town” singer paused during his show to tease the next song, and how he came about choosing it for the set list. According to Aldean, he was scrolling on his phone and a cover of one of his hit songs just so happened to pop up:
“It’s funny, some of these songs are a little older. We end up taking them out of the show for a while, and I’ll be sitting at home on my phone, looking on Instagram and I see some 14-year-old kid sitting on his tailgate playing one of my old songs, talking about how heartbroken he is.
I’m like… could you have really gone through that much stuff at 14? I don’t know. But one of the songs I kept hearing, that kept popping up, was this song right here. So we decided throw this one back in the set. See if you guys remember this one from way back.”
Aldean then broke into his 2009 hit song “The Truth,” which was featured on his 2009 project Wide Open. It’s one of those songs that was a monster hit for the country singer (it was No. 1 on the US Hot Country Songs chart, and even peaked as high as No. 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100), but had made its way out of the rotation for Aldean’s live shows.
That is until a 14-year-old picked up a guitar and played it on his tailgate, and the 49-year-old country singer came across it. For all the things that the algorithm seems to do wrong, this is one example of it actually working.
Check it out:
@kconklum23 Jason Aldean proves he listens to his algorithm! @Jason Aldean #jasonaldean #jasonaldeanconcert #jasonaldeanmusic #jasonaldeanthetruth #jasonaldeantour ♬ original sound – Kim | All Things Country
