When people post a link to a song, there is no way to tell what kind of music it is or what period it's from. To help engagement and the user experience, I suggest we require people to at least write the genre and year in the title of their post. Bonus points for adding some explanation in the body of the post about the significance of the song and why they're sharing it.

cross-posted from: https://yiffit.net/post/678516

Both open-world and fantasy in general have changed enormously since the first Dragon’s Dogma: when it came out, Game of Thrones had only just aired its first season. Can Capcom keep up? “Let’s just say that I think each player will have a different kind of discovery and surprise waiting for them as they play the game,” Itsuno says. “We’ve taken all the things that made the original Dragon’s Dogma special and brought them bang up to date using the latest technology, building on all of our experience gained in the interim decade.

“I’m happy I’ve finally got the chance to make the sequel I have had in mind all these years … The longer I’ve been in the industry, the more I realise how lucky I am to be able to make games I’m really passionate about.” has made some of the world’s most famous games, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing Dragon’s Dogma. While the house of Street Fighter shifts millions of games via the furious fists of Ryu and co, the shuffling undead of Resident Evil and beast-felling Monster Hunter, its Xbox 360 medieval RPG simply came and went in 2012. Yet much like the heroes that Dragon’s Dogma depicted, over the years, this once underloved adventure’s stature only grew in legend.

This peculiar game saw players cast in the role of a chosen hero, pursuing an apocalypse-heralding dragon – accompanied by a little AI buddy that you designed yourself, known rather harshly as a Pawn. Dragon’s Dogma is one of the last decade’s best-kept gaming secrets, because what at first appears to be rather generic fantasy quickly reveals itself to be delightfully weird. Those who gave it a chance 11 years ago came away enraptured by its quirky charm. An expanded version, Dark Arisen, arrived in 2013, but the announcement of a full sequel was a very pleasant surprise for fans. Its creators are just as delighted that it’s happening.

“I think that Dragon’s Dogma stands out because it’s not just a game where you save a monster-infested world, but you actually change the destinies of the people living in it,” reflects director Hideaki Itsuno on the original’s enduring popularity. “This really makes the player feel like they are part of that world, and we’ve focused on that element in particular [for] Dragon’s Dogma 2.”

While open world games are ten a penny these days, 11 years on, Dragon’s Dogma is still Capcom’s only attempt at the genre. “It was our first attempt at an open-world style game and so we took on many challenges in developing it … and I think our efforts paid off … [it’s] become a beloved favourite for a lot of people.” says producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi.

Boasting a map that’s four times the size of the original’s fantasy world of Gransys, and promising to take advantage of modern consoles, what we know so far about the mystery-shrouded successor suggests the typical bigger-and-better approach to sequel craft. Yet in a post Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom and Elden Ring world, the bar for sprawling adventures has been substantially raised. Capcom’s solution is to double down on immersion, says Itsuno.

Better known as the combat designer on gothic action games Devil May Cry 4 and 5, Itsuno has spent the decade between entries honing his craft: delivering best in class playable action. “I want to make a world and characters that feel completely real to the player,” he says. “To achieve this, I will be building on my experience with action games as well as our AI and physics technology, which will let players engage with convincing characters and monsters, all acting of their own accord,” he says.

Is he looking forward to returning to this complex genre after a decade making more linear action games? “To me, games are entertainment that allows one to experience a life different than one’s own. Within that idea, RPGs are perhaps the best kind of ‘other world simulator’, letting you create a version of yourself and explore a place completely different from the real world,” Itsuno says. “Dragon’s Dogma 2 is all about creating this kind of experience with the cutting-edge technology we have today. Adding in a world-class action game to that experience makes it even better!”

Dragon’s Dogma’s Pawns were always a crucial part of your quest: your permanent partner developed alongside you much in the way a human co-op buddy would. You could upload your Pawn for other players to download and adventure with, and download other people’s weird pals to fill out your team – for example, constructing a party of wizard and elven comrades styled after the various eras of David Bowie. It’s a bizarre mechanic on paper, but one that Dogma devotees will attest works in practice, mimicking the feel of an online multiplayer adventure with real people.

“This is a game you can play at your own pace and to your heart’s content without worrying about aligning schedules or getting a party group together,” Itsuno says. “That said, Dragon’s Dogma 2 still lets you feel like you’re in an adventuring party, as your Pawns join you on your journey and you build up experience together. Players get a taste of each other’s adventures through the medium of each other’s Pawns.”

Both open-world and fantasy in general have changed enormously since the first Dragon’s Dogma: when it came out, Game of Thrones had only just aired its first season. Can Capcom keep up? “Let’s just say that I think each player will have a different kind of discovery and surprise waiting for them as they play the game,” Itsuno says. “We’ve taken all the things that made the original Dragon’s Dogma special and brought them bang up to date using the latest technology, building on all of our experience gained in the interim decade.

“I’m happy I’ve finally got the chance to make the sequel I have had in mind all these years … The longer I’ve been in the industry, the more I realise how lucky I am to be able to make games I’m really passionate about.” has made some of the world’s most famous games, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing Dragon’s Dogma. While the house of Street Fighter shifts millions of games via the furious fists of Ryu and co, the shuffling undead of Resident Evil and beast-felling Monster Hunter, its Xbox 360 medieval RPG simply came and went in 2012. Yet much like the heroes that Dragon’s Dogma depicted, over the years, this once underloved adventure’s stature only grew in legend.

This peculiar game saw players cast in the role of a chosen hero, pursuing an apocalypse-heralding dragon – accompanied by a little AI buddy that you designed yourself, known rather harshly as a Pawn. Dragon’s Dogma is one of the last decade’s best-kept gaming secrets, because what at first appears to be rather generic fantasy quickly reveals itself to be delightfully weird. Those who gave it a chance 11 years ago came away enraptured by its quirky charm. An expanded version, Dark Arisen, arrived in 2013, but the announcement of a full sequel was a very pleasant surprise for fans. Its creators are just as delighted that it’s happening.

“I think that Dragon’s Dogma stands out because it’s not just a game where you save a monster-infested world, but you actually change the destinies of the people living in it,” reflects director Hideaki Itsuno on the original’s enduring popularity. “This really makes the player feel like they are part of that world, and we’ve focused on that element in particular [for] Dragon’s Dogma 2.”

While open world games are ten a penny these days, 11 years on, Dragon’s Dogma is still Capcom’s only attempt at the genre. “It was our first attempt at an open-world style game and so we took on many challenges in developing it … and I think our efforts paid off … [it’s] become a beloved favourite for a lot of people.” says producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi.

Boasting a map that’s four times the size of the original’s fantasy world of Gransys, and promising to take advantage of modern consoles, what we know so far about the mystery-shrouded successor suggests the typical bigger-and-better approach to sequel craft. Yet in a post Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom and Elden Ring world, the bar for sprawling adventures has been substantially raised. Capcom’s solution is to double down on immersion, says Itsuno.

Better known as the combat designer on gothic action games Devil May Cry 4 and 5, Itsuno has spent the decade between entries honing his craft: delivering best in class playable action. “I want to make a world and characters that feel completely real to the player,” he says. “To achieve this, I will be building on my experience with action games as well as our AI and physics technology, which will let players engage with convincing characters and monsters, all acting of their own accord,” he says.

Is he looking forward to returning to this complex genre after a decade making more linear action games? “To me, games are entertainment that allows one to experience a life different than one’s own. Within that idea, RPGs are perhaps the best kind of ‘other world simulator’, letting you create a version of yourself and explore a place completely different from the real world,” Itsuno says. “Dragon’s Dogma 2 is all about creating this kind of experience with the cutting-edge technology we have today. Adding in a world-class action game to that experience makes it even better!”

Dragon’s Dogma’s Pawns were always a crucial part of your quest: your permanent partner developed alongside you much in the way a human co-op buddy would. You could upload your Pawn for other players to download and adventure with, and download other people’s weird pals to fill out your team – for example, constructing a party of wizard and elven comrades styled after the various eras of David Bowie. It’s a bizarre mechanic on paper, but one that Dogma devotees will attest works in practice, mimicking the feel of an online multiplayer adventure with real people.

“This is a game you can play at your own pace and to your heart’s content without worrying about aligning schedules or getting a party group together,” Itsuno says. “That said, Dragon’s Dogma 2 still lets you feel like you’re in an adventuring party, as your Pawns join you on your journey and you build up experience together. Players get a taste of each other’s adventures through the medium of each other’s Pawns.”

cross-posted from: https://yiffit.net/post/678460

It had started to feel as though it would cost £9.99 for ever, but Spotify has, after 14 years, finally increased its prices.

Its standard monthly subscription price rose by 10% in more than 50 markets this week, including the US and the UK, and was tentatively welcomed by many in the music industry – but others point out that a £1 rise, to £10.99, will not solve wider quandaries around streaming economics.

The company told subscribers the rise was to “invest in and innovate our product offerings and features, and bring you the best experience”, but tactically avoided mentioning any positive effects for recording artists and songwriters. Their share of streaming income is not determined by Spotify itself – it is also affected by the terms of their record deal, should they have one. Spotify was, however, among services opposing an increase in the royalty rate for songwriters in the US (that opposition failed in July 2022 and the new rate was set at 15.1%).

The price increase comes in the wake of Spotify significantly scaling back its gaping money pit of a podcasting division in June 2023. The company has lost money since its launch, reporting an operating loss of €156m (£133m) for the first quarter of this year and an adjusted operating loss of €112m (£96m) for the second quarter.

Spotify’s stock slumped by 14% on 25 July, the day it published its latest financial results, which fell short of what Wall Street analysts were expecting. In an earnings report just after announcing the price rise, Spotify co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek described the price rises as a “tool in our toolbox”.

A senior record company executive, speaking anonymously, is deeply cynical about the timing of this move given labels have been calling for this for years. “Spotify wanted to make a big move ahead of their stock price tanking – and they thought it would be good press,” they say. “They poorly timed it for their own stock price.”

But Paul Clements, chief executive of the Music Publishers’ Association, views the price rise as generally positive for songwriters. “An increase in subscription fees will help to increase the amount of royalties that flow through to the composers and songwriters we represent,” he says, although “failure to increase subscription pricing for some 15 years has arguably depreciated the value of music per paid user”. For reference, something costing £9.99 in 2001 would cost £17.87 today.

Annabella Coldrick, chief executive of the Music Managers Forum, says artist managers “for a long time have been calling for a price rise” that was in keeping with inflation. “We got the idea that [streaming services] were driving to grow the market, but there comes a point where it’s falling so far behind that it needs to be revisited.” Apple Music has duly increased its prices last year in the US to $10.99 and YouTube Music made a similar move earlier this month.

The streaming services face a delicate balancing act: keen to not price out consumers and derail a growing streaming market, they also face pressure to make streaming pay more to music creators.

David Martin, chief executive of the Featured Artists Coalition, says: “We put our faith in the platforms to be the ones that are able to set price points and move them at the right time. The £9.99 price point was tricky in terms of how it was perceived psychologically, as £9.99 sounds a lot different to £10.99. Now we’re past that, maybe it removes some of the psychological barriers to allow price rises more frequently and more in line with inflation.”

Against the backdrop of a cost of living crisis, increases will have been carefully modelled around price sensitivity. “If it doesn’t lead to a drop off [in subscribers], it will probably lead to another 5% increase next year,” predicts Coldrick.

Netflix, Disney+ and others have managed to regularly increase prices, but can afford to be more bullish because they offer exclusive shows and films. For the music streaming services, who all effectively have identical catalogues, this has been a harder sell. There was widespread paranoia about rivals poaching subscribers by instigating a race-to-the-bottom pricing war such as the one that gripped British tabloid newspapers in the 1990s.

The anonymous senior label executive says a 10% increase is “necessary” but it does not help the industry create new revenue beyond subscription streaming. “Ultimately, we’re still all dividing $11 into pieces,” they say.

The wider concern is that any price rise will benefit record labels and services, with platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music typically taking 30% of all subscription income, much more than the artists, especially those stuck on low streaming royalty deals.

Martin explains that the 10% increase will mean nothing to an artist on a terrible record deal, who still owes money back from their advance and isn’t even getting significant royalty revenue. “It’s not unusual for us to see artists tied into single-digit royalty deals despite their catalogues being on DSPs [digital service providers]. Those terms are so poor in some cases that that might be 10% of nothing being paid through.”

Where and how the extra money is split remains the major bone of contention here. Since 2016, the independent company Beggars Group has paid digital royalty rates of 25%, up from the 18% it was paying since 2009, but this is far from a unilateral policy across labels, especially the majors.

“[The subscription price rise] definitely doesn’t solve all the questions around streaming and fair remuneration for artists,” argues Coldrick, who calls for greater transparency about how streaming income is shared out. “It’s not that artists think this is bad, but there are a whole host of other issues that have to be addressed alongside it, so it’s not just another bumper pay rise for the music business.”

One might assume that there is something dispiriting about performing night after night to audiences for whom music is a mere backdrop to recreation, forgoing the chance to focus on your own songwriting in favour of covering singalong hits to a party crowd. But in a music industry that is increasingly precarious, particularly in an era of economic uncertainty, Brexit and streaming, an established residency in a holiday resort can offer artists a degree of financial and emotional stability.

People will always prefer to listen to songs they know, and money is hard to come by as a musician.

My view on this very feminist piece is that Winehouse wasn't anywhere near as influential or impactful to music and other musicians as Nirvana (which is the article's main point of comparison). Many other musicians and singers have come and gone (both male and female) and are not held in anywhere near the same reverence as Cobain, and that's simply because they had no lasting impact.

A video on musical tempo, how we perceive it with our bodies as well as our ears, and where the limits are.