Why Do We Get Bored of Music So Quickly These Days? Why People Listen to 'One Song' Instead of Albums

"Playlist Evolution: Now We Just Repeat 'This Song' Instead of Albums?"

In the past, when a favorite artist released an album, it was common practice to listen to all the songs from beginning to end. However, nowadays, it's typical to add only one or two songs to a playlistand listen to them repeatedly. Why don't people listen to entire albums anymore? Today, we'll examine the changes in music listening trends.

1. Short Attention Spans: The Era of 'Repeating One Song'

People's attention spans are getting shorter and shorter these days. Because of this, we tend to focus on only one song at a time and move on to the next before we get bored. For example, songs like NewJeans' "Super Shy" or Aespa's "Spicy" are gaining immense popularity due to their short and intense hooks. These songs are characterized by their easy repeatability and addictive melodies.

2. Music Streaming Algorithms: Recommendations Are One Song at a Time

Music streaming service algorithms often analyze user preferences to recommend individual songs. Instead of listening to entire albums as in the past, individual songs are recommended as infinite replay lists, leading to a pattern of repeating only one song. Features like Spotify's 'Discover Weekly' or Melon's 'My Taste Recommendations' are particularly conducive to this change.

3. The Influence of TikTok and Reels: Short and Intense Songs

Recently, short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have had a significant impact on music trends. As short, catchy clips gain popularity, people often listen repeatedly to the single song used in those videos. Therefore, today's hit songs are mostly around 2-3 minutes long and are structured with hooks that appear quickly.

4. The Lost Charm of Album Listening

On the other hand, with this increase in individual song consumption, the storytelling and emotional flowexperienced in listening to albums as a whole is disappearing. In the past, listening to an album allowed one to feel the artist's intentions and narrative; however, this experience is now diminishing. It's a shame to miss out on works like the "Blue Sky" album by Blue Sky or the "Voyage" album by AKMU, where the entire album is connected as one story.

Rediscovering the Joy of Album Listening: Moving Beyond 'One Song Repeat'

We now live in an era where we focus only on individual songs and miss the overall impact of the album. Next time, instead of repeatedly playing one song, how about listening to the entire album? You might rediscover the story and emotions the artist has poured into their work.