If you’re no longer content to consume one mode of media, you’re not alone. The prospect of consuming media through a single mode feels increasingly antiquated due to the profound influence of technology on our attention spans and habits.
The surge of smartphones and the internet has reshaped expectations, fostering an environment where constant stimulation and instant gratification are the norms. Gone are the days when people truly invested in music by tuning out from the world and tuning into the sound by letting the thematic nature of the instrumentals wash over them, allowing the lyrics to resonate, and feeling the emotion conveyed in the vocals.
It is becoming increasingly evident that it isn’t possible to truly connect to a track or an album if your attention is divided between the sonic experience and doomscrolling on social media, browsing the internet for your new material dopamine fix or sharing the latest viral video.
With that in mind, this article will examine how our tendency to constantly seek distraction through digital stimuli is reshaping the entertainment industry and diminishing the connections we forge with music and media.
The Rise of the Scattered Attention Phenomenon
Our inability to fully engage with one mode of media is largely driven by the endless expanse of information and entertainment options readily available at our fingertips, encouraging a culture of multitasking and continuous partial attention. People now often find themselves seeking additional stimuli, even if the content they are engaging with has the capacity to fully immerse them in the experience.
The urge to reach for a phone or browse on a laptop while watching a show or listening to music can be attributed to an evolved consumer behaviour that values efficiency—engaging in multiple activities simultaneously is seen as making the most of one’s time. Social media platforms fuel this trend by integrating content consumption with social interaction, making solitary media consumption seem less appealing. Platforms encourage users to share reactions, participate in discussions, and connect with others over shared media experiences in real-time.
This shift also reflects deeper psychological needs for social connection and validation, which are satisfied by online interactions. The desire to be part of a community discussion or to not miss out on real-time events has transformed the way media is consumed, making dual or multiple modes of media consumption the new standard.
What Is Second Screen Content and How is it Relevant to the Music Industry?
The concept of “second screen” content is increasingly relevant in an era where streamers are shaping their narratives to accommodate the divided attention of viewers. This adaptation stems from a recognition that many viewers engage with multiple devices simultaneously, often treating the television as a second screen rather than the primary focus of their attention. The phenomenon reflects a broader shift in media consumption habits, where audiences expect to multitask and consume content across various platforms without fully engaging with any single one.
As Justine Bateman highlights in her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, there is a growing trend among streamers to produce what can essentially be described as “visual muzak.” This approach is designed to ensure that television shows do not require full attention from viewers, allowing them to split their focus between a second screen without losing track of the narrative. Such content is crafted to be straightforward and easy to follow, minimising the risk that viewers will feel lost if they shift their primary focus away from the TV to another device.
This approach, while pragmatic from a viewership retention standpoint, poses significant challenges for storytellers and creatives who are pressured to simplify their narratives. It potentially undermines the depth and complexity that can be achieved in storytelling, as the content must be accessible to someone who is not fully engaged.
Traditionally, music has been enjoyed as both an immersive and a background experience. However, today, it is becoming increasingly the latter, with the exception of watching music live. Yet, even when people pay for gig tickets and go out of their way to experience the music unfolding before them, how many people can last the full set before they reach for their phone to document the experience for social media or seek validation by checking for notifications?
This shift towards viewing music as a secondary form of stimuli or entertainment has significant implications for how deeply listeners connect with music. When music becomes just another element in the multitasking environment, listeners may be less likely to forge deep emotional connections with what they hear, impacting everything from fan loyalty to the cultural impact of new releases.
How Can the Music Industry Adapt to Accommodate Concentration Decay?
In response to the growing phenomenon of concentration decay, where listeners find it increasingly challenging to engage deeply with lengthy content due to fragmented attention spans, the music industry must innovate to retain relevance and engagement. Here are key strategies it can adopt. While they’re not perfect, they can help artists to make more of an impact with their releases.
- Embrace Shorter Formats: Artists could focus on creating shorter tracks that capture attention quickly and fit more comfortably into the fragmented listening habits of today’s audience. This mirrors the trend seen on platforms like TikTok, where brief, catchy snippets can go viral, paving the way for broader interest in an artist’s work.
- Introduce Interactive Experiences: Leveraging technology to make music listening a more interactive experience can help engage listeners. This could include interactive music videos, virtual reality concerts, or apps that allow listeners to customise aspects of a track. Such innovations can transform passive listening into an active, engaging process that holds the listener’s attention for longer.
- Foster Community and Participation: Encouraging listener participation through social features, such as shared playlists, live streaming events, and fan voting on setlists or unreleased tracks, can increase engagement and prevent consumers from reaching for a second screen. Building a community around music listening helps counteract the isolation of digital consumption and encourages more devoted listening.
By adopting these strategies, the music industry can better accommodate listeners’ dwindling concentration spans and continue to thrive in a digital, distraction-filled world which has necessitated the term ‘second screen content’. However, the onus is also on the individual to rectify the damage smartphones and social media have done to their attention spans.
Article by Amelia Vandergast