Music has always been very important to me, from when I got my first iPod years ago to now. I play an instrument and constantly try to find new ways to improve. This is something I love about music, the evolution of the sound and style.

Over this past summer, I came upon something that I had never seen before: a new culture of music creation, a culture which encouraged others to debate, talk and work on projects together.  It was something amazing. It sucked me in and completely changed me as a person.

As I spent more time in the community, I began to see it grow and change into something that was much bigger than anyone had imagined.  Day after day, I saw new songs and ideas being posted.

It didn’t matter where you came from or how you talked; all that mattered was how much passion you had. This is a brand new way to share creations and it’s growing.

It didn’t matter where you came from or how you talked; all that mattered was how much passion you had. This is a brand new way to share creations and it’s growing.

It all started for me when I found a rap group called Brockhampton, a West Coast rap group that met on a Kanye West fan forum, They focus on promoting a creative mindset. I fell in love with the idea of creating something amazing and taking risks along with it, but I was clearly not the only one with this feeling.

Thousands of other teens felt similarly to me. Forums were being created for this exact purpose. Creative Commune is a prime example of this.

“Creative Commune is a place for people with creative minds to collaborate and gather,” Griffin Durban, one of the owners, said about this movement. “We don’t just want rappers and producers, which is what our core of members consist of right now, but we want to expand to include creatives of all mindsets and mediums. Painters, drummers, writers, and singers.”

This is still developing today, and with forums and group chats becoming more and more prevalent, I see no sign of it stopping any time soon.

“Simply put without the internet, we would have never met, we wouldn’t be friends, and Youth/Service wouldn’t exist,” said Liam Kelly, the creative director of an Internet collective called Youth/ Service. “The internet not only allowed us to meet, but to entirely create our debut album with not a single person being in the same room as another.” 

This doesn’t just affect Collectives, A group of musicians that come together for one creative purpose. It’s also been a great place for artists to start their careers.

You don’t have to look far for this effect. Jamari Brown, a rapper from CHS has also used the internet to get himself out there. Using a platform called SoundCloud, Brown’s songs have reached over 36k plays.

“Well with the social media we have, I post my music and friends and fans repost it,” said Brown. “Everyone keeps listening and listening… it’s just an ongoing process.”  

However, the effect of this community doesn’t stop at small artists. Music reviewers and celebrities are still in the spotlight.  

Music reviewers often bring everyone together for an Internet-wide discussion. The main reviewer many follow, myself included is Anthony Fantano. Many others tend to follow other sources like Pitchfork, a music-reviewing website.

Overall, small artist or not, the internet has changed music production forever. It allows music to go farther than ever, change lives and promote new culture.  I see new artists and new ideas constantly being thrown around. From the start of this movement to now, I have only seen it grow. I’m sure it will bring many great ideas and people to the spotlight.

Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial” represent the views and opinions of the author, not the 2018-2019 Periscope staff, CHS/CASD administration, or the CHS student body.