Do we still know how to listen to music ?

Unlimited music, limited attention Music has never been so present in our lives, but do we really still know how to listen to it ?  In just a few decades, our relationship with sound has been transformed: from a rare and desired commodity, it has become a continuous stream. The emergence of streaming services such Read more

How “AI Slop” is shaping the music industry

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer only playing a major role in the tech and startup industry – it has also entered the heart of many creative industries. In recent years artists tried to figure out how they can utilize AI in order to enhance or implement in their music. This has sparked a debate Read more

The Disco Myth: Why Studio 54 Still Matters in 2025

A Legendary Door Reopens I decided to write about Studio 54 after watching the recent documentary Love to Love You, Donna Summer (2023) by Roger Ross Williams and Brooklyn Sudano.  It reminded me that disco was never just a musical genre: it was a social movement, a way of being. And this year, the mirror Read more

Intimacy Coordination and Opera: an overlooked yet crucial and necessary consideration

Within the opera industry, scenes of seduction, coercion, and sexual violence are more common than many realize. Yet, the use of intimacy coordination—standard in cinema and theatre—remains largely absent from this art form. Rooted in conservative traditions, opera continues to grapple with how to handle nudity, consent, and performer vulnerability on stage. As modern directors push for realism, the lack of ethical frameworks raises questions about artist safety and authenticity in today’s performing arts. Read more

Death of albums or death of our attention span?    

25, Super Trouper, Hit Me Hard and Soft, Igor or American Idiot, I could go on and on about my personal iconic albums. What about you? When was the last time you found yourself listening to a full-length album of an artist, with no break or song skipped? This may sound like an odd question Read more

A concert for students that highlights the saxophone

On Wednesday 5 November, the Pays de la Loire National Orchestra (ONPL) gave its special student concert to mark the start of the season. The programme featured over an hour of classical music without an interval, exclusively for students who filled the concert hall at La Cité des Congrès, attracted by the chance to listen Read more

Music streaming: innovation, cultural monitoring, and human-driven solutions

Digital Communities and the Birth of Streaming At the end of the 1990s and the dawn of the 2000s, music became one of the first fields to experiment with digital culture. Whether on forums, sharing sites, or peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms, self-organized and self-regulated communities emerged: uploaders, curators, collectors, and enthusiasts. Even today, these communities persist, Read more

The Nantes-Angers Opera in the face of budget cuts: what future for the performing arts?

An unprecedented fiscal shock The 2025 school year was marked by the announcement of the 2025 budget, which shook more than one!  A rather austere budget in the face of an ever-growing deficit, it seems that culture has not escaped it. Once it has been put on a diet, it would be interesting to observe Read more

French rap and techno music – Cultural interactions leading to a new sub-genre ?

40 years ago, French rap was an emerging and very underground genre. Today, it  has been dominating the French music scene since the last decade. Indeed, in 2024, the rapper Werenoi – who passed away last May – was the biggest seller of the year, with 276,900 albums sold. Appeared in the 1980s by mimicking Read more

Can raves be sustainable ? Green innovation and contradictions in the electronic music scene

Picture Credit: Horst Arts & Music Festival Electronic music has become one of the most influential cultural movements of our time. From massive festivals like Tomorrowland to small underground free parties, it brings together people from every background to share sound, energy, and freedom. But behind the lights, the bass, and the celebration, one question Read more