YouTube: Three Subtle Downsides to this Super Site

What's your favorite part about YouTube? More importantly, what are the downsides to this resource?

1) Learning

Enough said. While there is a lot of fluff to sift through, overall, learning about nearly any music topic or technique is a search word away. This is very very different than decades past where you needed to be at the right place, at the right time, in person, to learn many of the things YouTube shares readily. Plus, you can get many perspectives on the same topic.

The downside: information overload. Plus, it is sometimes it's just easier to learn with a human. YouTube video watching is addictive, and while learning here saves time, the extra time you saved could be eaten up. What giveth, also taketh.

2) Locality

When radio was king, each region had its own sound. This was because the musicians in one area would play with one another, creating a style. Now, there is less emphasis on geography and music is drawing from influences far and wide. This could make for an ecclectic stew. 

The downside: as music rises to the top when it appeals to the masses--who on the Internet are a bunch of bored people--the result could be that the artform of music just becomes a bunch of clickbait horse#hit. Let's see how it plays out in the coming decades.

3) It's the radio now...and the library...and your cool friend's record collection

YouTube includes many songs from the past and present which are searchable. You can create playlists, and find nearly any song you seek...all without visiting the record store. All without paying the artist nor the record label. Of course, you still pay, that is what those annoying ads are. Yet, despite these ads, being able to find nearly any music imaginable is worth its weight in gold. 

The downside: as an artist you are not just competing with the music happening now, you are competing with all the music that ever was.

Feel free to share your favorite part about YouTube in the comments. 

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