In 2015, we will see music is more pervasive than ever -- it is everywhere. I see it when I go to kids' birthday parties: "Let It Go" is so undeniable that it became part of the fabric of the little-girl princess experience. Music is so pervasive that people who I am sure wouldn't have heard my band otherwise say they heard [a Fall Out Boy] song in a stadium when their team was playing. 2015 is our chance to be bold.
I also believe festival culture in the U.S. will become more like that of Europe: We will see that genre matters less than quality of the artist. We will see more festivals like Made in America, where a sponsor and a great line-up can create a truly great experience. In 2015, the idea of "curation" in music will create even stronger cultures/brands -- I think that's why we see a label like Mad Decent doing what they do. When fans can trust the curator -- when they trust the taste -- I think they are more open to checking out new artists and new experiences. I believe that authentic taste-making will become even more important in 2015.
I think we will also see the biggest divide in music between the old model and the new model. I see it in the kids I talk to at shows -- they love songs: When I ask them what they like, they don't name albums, they don't name artists. It seems like a new generation is truly less tethered to one genre more than ever and that's exciting to me."
