The next Billie Eilish is likely out there, making music in their bedroom. What's changed in the decade since she and her brother Finneas mythically recorded and released their platinum record from their bedroom is that tens of thousands of artists are now making music in their capable bedroom studios—and sharing it directly on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more.
The term "bedroom pop" has arguably evolved beyond its once-limiting definition to become the norm across all genres. Talented musicians of every background, style, and technique are sharing their music on social media—often before the song is finished, released, or even fully recorded. Simply put, they're creating and sharing in real-time.
Social media has transformed from a marketing strategy into THE strategy. Testing a song with fans has become nearly equivalent to releasing it. Artists who accumulate enough views can leverage that success into influencer opportunities: gear reviews, demos, brand endorsements, and collaborations. For some, this path proves so successful that they prioritize social media platforms over live performance.
As Matt Dunn writes in his Ultimate Guitar article "More Likes, Fewer Gigs: The Rise of Influencer Musicians and the Potential Death of Touring," today's artists and musicians differ fundamentally from those of previous decades.
"….you can see why some young musicians may be less motivated to tour in a van, live out of a bag, and play dingy clubs. Having an online presence doesn't mean you can't create and release music as part of your profile, it just means that perhaps you're not relying on that music to pay the bills."
While older generations in music struggle to grasp this shift - as well as the music industry writ large - younger members of the music community intuitively understand this landscape. Though the past 25 years of changes in the music industry have sparked concerns about big tech and the legacy business (yes, we at Recording Fund have shared these concerns), the transformation has unfolded before our eyes. The very nature of making, releasing, and sharing music has evolved.
If you’re wondering why we’re discussing bedroom pop - a phenomenon that might be seen as challenging our mission, consider this: music production, engineering, mixing, and mastering are distinct skills from musicianship and songwriting. While music has changed and will always change, the artists of this new ecosystem have beautifully adapted to industry changes; it also reveals flaws in the current system.
Today, artists face a complex reality. They're expected to emulate success stories like Billie Eilish's bedroom recordings—though her first big record was mixed by Rob Kinelski, which surely wasn't done for free! A decade before Billie and Finneas, there were idyllic stories of Bon Iver recording in a cabin in the woods. And now, on top of living up to these myths and lore, artists must also generate endless content for the "techno-feudal" landscape of social media and big tech.
Oh, and they're expected to do all this while working a job, paying rent, paying student loans, having a family, and more.
This is why we support artists and musicians with recording grants. Even if talented, hardworking artists can record and produce themselves, they might need—and benefit from—additional help. In today's music industry, most assistance comes with strings attached: leverage, fees, or conditions.
We're here to help. No strings attached.
