Streaming sites rely on metrics that are driven by fans. This means that real artists have a shot at being successful. Years ago, you might have had talented artists with great songs, but in the music industry, gatekeeping was very much an issue and if a label didn’t like you, you weren’t going anywhere fast.  Streaming is helping to change the dynamics, by giving power back to fans. With that being said, some genres have benefitted more than others. 

Heavy Metal

From gateway bands like Slipknot and Iron Maiden to underground genres like black and death metal, heavy metal fans tend to be much more active listeners overall. Streaming site recommendations have helped a lot here, helping metal fans weave their way through different genres seamlessly. A Metallica fan may find themselves suddenly listening to Gojira, through AI-based recommendations.

Advancements in technology haven’t just benefitted the music sector either, as they have also benefited the iGaming industry. The use of technology is seen within the online casino gambling at Paddy’s too. For example. Slot titles use Random Number Generators (RNG) and other systems to ensure fair outcomes. With the advancement of AI within the last years, more benefits may be seen too, whether it’s to reduce development times or game titles or equally improve the overall player experience.

Hip-Hop

Another winner would be hip-hop. Young hip-hop artists use SoundCloud and similar sites to upload new mixtapes and tracks. Once upon a time, there was a formula with hip-hop. You’d write a song about a girl, and add an R&B-friendly beat and a solid hook. Before you know it, you have a solid radio hit that is going to make the charts. Nowadays, a lot of new songs are breaking the formula, providing fans with new and exciting listening material. With hip-hop accounting for 29.9% of streams, this is having a monumental impact on the genre.

Toronto rapper Drake’s mixtape, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, was released with just 48 hours notice. It then amassed 6.8 million streams on Spotify, doubling the record for total streams in a single day. You also have new and emerging hip-hop artists, who are using the platform to have their voices heard. With new and unique styles being embraced more than ever, streaming has helped to eliminate cookie-cutter hip-hop tracks and paved the way for new artists with a thirst for creativity.

So as you can see, the two genres to have benefitted from streaming the most would be hip-hop and heavy metal. Heavy metal is one of the fastest-growing genres thanks to streaming, and hip-hop accounts for nearly a quarter of total Spotify streams, according to data published by the company in 2023. 

It’s an exciting time to be a music fan, as the world of streaming puts the power back in the hands of fans. It has also helped genres to stand out and advance, which gains bands new followers while helping to fuel the excitement of the music sector as a whole.