Now you’re worried about AI?

I was born in 1971, and as a musician I've watched music delivery evolve through more formats than perhaps any generation before or after mine. We've lived through vinyl, 8-tracks, cassette tapes, CDs, digital downloads, and now streaming.

Then, in 1999, music effectively became free overnight.

Over the last 27 years, we've witnessed the complete devaluation of recorded music. Today, for $9.99 a month, a listener can access virtually every song ever recorded. Think about what that same collection would have cost in 1995. It's an incredible deal for consumers, but it's been devastating for the musicians who write, record, and produce the music.

And now people are worried about AI?

Really?

How can something already valued at nearly zero become worth less?

If we're being honest, most listeners don't spend much time thinking about who wrote a song, who played on it, or even who created it. They care whether it entertains them in the moment. We're already moving toward a world where songs are increasingly designed to capture attention for a few seconds before selling the next product, service, or pharmaceutical ad.

Musicians like me learned a long time ago that we have very little control over the value of our recorded work. The only real leverage we have is to sell directly to our audience and refuse to participate in systems that give our music away for fractions of a cent. That's easier said than done, of course. For most working musicians, the last place where our labor still has tangible value is on stage. We literally have to put our bodies in front of people to earn a living.

Meanwhile, Congress has been largely absent throughout this entire transformation. Many of our elected officials struggled to understand the internet revolution while it was happening, and now we're supposed to believe they'll effectively regulate AI? I wouldn't bet on it. There is simply too much money at stake.

So, from someone who has spent 35 years making a living in this business, my advice is simple: get ready. The world keeps moving forward, technology keeps advancing, and history suggests that none of us have much power to stop it.