Artists fuel social media addictions

Unveiling the uncomfortable truth about music content

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Artists fuel social media addictions

An uncomfortable truth is missing from recent discussions about algorithms: the music industry's role in fuelling social media addiction. Even the most activist artists aren’t talking about this issue, and it’s time we do.

Why it matters

I’ve written about this before: Research indicates that excessive social media use contributes to anxiety, depression, and overall negative impacts on mental health - while it’s proven that reducing social media use can lead to increased happiness.

Artists and music content play a substantial role in this ecosystem, mainly through creating FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) - a primary factor preventing people from reducing their social media consumption.

Generated with SDXL using the prompt ‘Darth Vader swiping Tinder’.

How it works

Social media presents itself as the perfect marketing tool: create engaging content, and algorithms deliver it to receptive audiences.

However, while we're busy optimising these algorithms, we've become significant contributors to an addiction crisis.

As industry professionals, we need to acknowledge our part in this ecosystem.

Looking at my excessive social media usage, I perceive roughly 30% as beneficial and 70% as harmful. I assume this is relatable.

Beneficial aspects:

• Direct contact with creators.

• Consumption of quality, curated content.

• Exploration of creative options (like playing with new video editing features).

• Algorithmic inspiration for daily life (from recipes to running drills, I can’t deny that social media content inspires me).

Harmful aspects:

• The constant fear of missing out on music releases, shows and festivals.

• Unavoidable negativity in timelines.

• Unwanted opinions from people I don't care about (especially on X and Threads).

• Perfectly targeted advertising, creating unnecessary desire.

• Exposure to inappropriate or tasteless content.

The harmful aspects all result from when the algorithms are wrong.

The beneficial aspects generate enough dopamine to make me pick up my phone and open the apps mindlessly, again and again.

Artists significantly contribute to the harmful aspects. By constantly building anticipation for upcoming shows or releases, they create powerful FOMO triggers that keep audiences tethered to their screens.

Moreover, the pressure to please algorithms leads to artistic homogenisation - when everyone follows the same formulas, uniqueness disappears.

Yes, but..

We face a complex dilemma: these algorithms are undeniably effective marketing tools. They excel at connecting artists with audiences and building communities when they work. However, this effectiveness comes at a significant cost - by playing by algorithmic rules, we actively contribute to platform addiction.

Take action now

Artists can help break the algorithmic circle of social media addictions:

• Audit the content: How much serves algorithms versus artistic expression?

• Create authentically: Focus on inside-out creativity rather than platform trends.

• Engage meaningfully: Prioritise genuine connection over algorithmic metrics.

• Address the issue: Encourage healthy social media habits among fans.

• Lead by example: Consider phrases like "enjoy life offline" instead of "follow me on social media".

Your thoughts

Further reading

• How artists contribute to social media addictions (The Fanbase Builder)

• Blaming algorithms is not the answer (The Fanbase Builder)

• Five branding strategies to achieve authenticity (The Fanbase Builder)