Pop: Soft Porns with Instagram Lighting
The article reflects on Bruno Mars' return to solo music with a new album featuring only nine songs, contrasting it with the trend of releasing larger quantities of music in the streaming era.
The article discusses Bruno Mars' music career, particularly focusing on the release of his latest solo album, which is notable for its relatively brief duration with only nine songs, especially considering the contemporary music industry's tendency towards longer albums packed with numerous tracks. This choice is seen as a deliberate artistic decision rather than a lack of material, highlighting a respect for the audience and a desire to present a cohesive work instead of overwhelming fans with content.
It draws a parallel to the current landscape of pop music, where many artists release singles at a rapid pace, often leading to albums that contain over twenty tracks. Mars' restraint in crafting a more succinct album can be viewed as him valuing quality over quantity, a viewpoint that stands in stark contrast to the prevalent behaviors in the streaming-dependent music scene. The author suggests that while some may view this as a lack of productivity, it actually showcases Mars' dedication to his artistry and his understanding of his audience's needs.
The article concludes by acknowledging the significance of such a release strategy in today's visual-driven world, likening it to a carefully curated aesthetic or 'Instagram lighting', which suggests that Mars is not only crafting music but also shaping a particular image and experience for his fans in a digital landscape saturated with fleeting content.