OpenSAT

Question #N883

In the following excerpt from an essay on the evolution of music, the author discusses the relationship between music and technology. "Technology has always been a driving force in the evolution of music, but it has not always been a benevolent one. The advent of recording technology in the late nineteenth century, for example, allowed for the mass production and distribution of music, but it also led to a decline in the quality of live music performance. The rise of electronic music in the twentieth century, with its reliance on synthesizers and computers, furthered the trend toward a more artificial sound. This technological trend has reached its apotheosis in the present day, with the proliferation of digital music streaming services that have rendered the traditional model of music consumption obsolete. The digital revolution, while it has democratized access to music and made it easier than ever to create and share it, has also created a culture of disposable music, in which songs are consumed quickly and then discarded, and the art of music making is increasingly marginalized."

The author's main point about the relationship between music and technology is that