It is faster to download a song than it is to purchase a CD, simpler to read an article online than to buy a magazine, and easier to rent a digital movie than to check out a hard copy disc. The internet, in the simplest terms possible, makes pop culture consumption faster.
As media is posted online so constantly, we digest all that is new at an unprecedented rate, to the point at which public reception can no longer be so intense. When was the last time fans camped outside of the mall to purchase the most highly anticipated album or bought every copy of a magazine because their favorite actor was on the cover? There will even be less anticipation towards the release of a new song, for example, because the process to hear this song becomes easier and requires less planning. When Taylor Swift released her most recent single, “ME!,” most fans did not sit around the radio, waiting impatiently for the new hit to play. Instead, at 12:00 a.m. eastern standard time, people all over the world watched the music video on YouTube free of charge and were already listening through streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music. To build anticipation anywhere near the levels of years past, Swift had to start promoting the song almost 13 days before its release, posting daily reminders on her social media pages. Keep in mind, this was all just for one single. In the digital age, when new content comes out by the second, even Swift, one of the most popular celebrities on the planet, must put her all into these extended marketing tactics in order to stand out and be remembered.
Public memory is waning. Public interest is waning. As media comes out faster, we are constantly expectant. We demand that innovation lie around the corner, so we are always running around the bend to find something new. Still, there are awkward periods of the year such as the peak of summer, when industry executives understand people to be too busy to consume anything more, so nothing is put out to consume. Everything is released before the summer in the middle of spring, when we apparently do have the time to watch eight of those hour-long Game of Thrones episodes or listen to albums featuring sometimes more than 20 songs. Suddenly, so much is put out, with little reprieve and huge promises. Every song is fated to be the song of summer. Every movie intends to be the summer blockbuster. In the months of April and May, entertainment exists solely to invoke pleasure for the future. Until then, we must welcome these new things into our lives, with the hope of them becoming mainstays in the coming months.
It’s obvious that these two cultural patterns don’t add up. As a society, we cycle through pieces of pop culture so quickly, so why are we expected to latch onto these releases months before they’re supposed to matter? In many ways, this cultural spring is exciting: every singer puts out a new album, every star appears in a new film. Still, it would be nice to prolong this crush of pop culture, so that by the time June rolls around, we’re not already sick of the self-proclaimed song of summer. With even more things to be released in the coming weeks though, it looks like we’ll be stuck with the products of this cultural spring all summer long.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the many pop culture releases that come out at this time of year. Here are three projects that are actually worth checking out:
Met Gala – From the good, to the bad, to the ugly, the biggest names in fashion were wearing it at this year’s Met Gala. The opening party for the Met’s annual fashion exhibit celebrated “camp” this year, a self-indulgent and over-the-top style that embraces the fun in fashion. If you’re in for a good laugh, check out the highlights of this year’s most outlandish looks.
Billie Eilish – This 17-year-old breakout star just released her long-awaited LP debut, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, an album that has had fans pressing replay all month long. No matter what your thoughts are on the ever-changing color of her hair, her oversized clothing, or the music itself, Eilish is undoubtedly making waves in the industry, disrupting the mainstream pop sound in favor of something with a little more edgy.
Booksmart – No school year is complete without at least one coming-of-age film. Booksmart, the story of two overachieving best friends who decide to cut loose come graduation, features everything that a teenage hit should: underdog leads, laugh-out-loud comedy, and actors who may be at least ten years out of high school but who do a decent job convincing you otherwise.