Sabrina Carpenter Doesn’t Need to Be Clean in the Spotify Age
The singer and her pop peers’ freedom to be provocative might be the greatest testament to the declining power of radio and MTV.
This isn't the music industry of the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s.
Photographer: Kevin Winter/Getty Images North AmericaWhen pop star Sabrina Carpenter hits the MTV Video Music Awards stage this Sunday, expect her to put on a show that will thrill fans — and likely unsettle those who still flinch at young women being openly provocative and comfortable with their sexuality.
Such performances don’t exist in a vacuum. They represent a level of freedom that is not only rooted in shifting cultural tides but may be the greatest testament to the declining power of radio and MTV. Popular artists today will make a clean version of a song — a necessity if they want on-air play — but it no longer serves the same promotional purpose. With streaming now dominant, radio play and television exposure aren’t make-or-break factors. These artists make most of their money on tour, and most fans hear their music uncensored on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.