Although the majority seem to agree that social media has helped the music industry, there are still some who long for the old days. The days when fans went to a concert and simply experienced the show, without needing to record and share and tweet every moment of the show. An example of someone who feels this way is singer/songwriter Jack White of the White Stripes. At his shows, you will see an unusual sign telling the crowd that the use of Twitter, Facebook, and other social media is "strictly prohibited" during his show. Ideally he would like it if everyone in attendance kept their phones away and just be present and enjoy the show in person. Unfortunately for Jack, even though he may have the right idea, this goes against the nature of digital natives. We are programmed to be reachable at all times, and present on social media. What's going to a concert worth if you can't even show your friends what you got to see? Unfortunately just saying we went to a concert nowadays doesn't seem to be enough...we find the need to "prove" we were there. As a generation, we are almost completely unable to actually ever be present.
While I do believe that social media helps improve the careers of musicians by spreading word connecting to fans, I would have to agree that in regard to live shows, they aren't what they were intended to be anymore. They should be captivating, they should be an experience. I admit that I am guilty of this, I find myself needing to record as much of the show as I can so I can relive the experience. But what experience was I really living while my eyes were glued to my iPhone the entire time?
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