It’s safe to say that technological advancements have completely revolutionized music production. With just a few clicks and minimal hardware, bedroom producers have the capacity to create complete, arena-ready projects.

With the music industry – driven by music production – recording a 9.0% increase in revenue and reaching  $26.2 billion last year in 2022, we can expect the music industry, and therefore, the music production industry, to become even more globalized in 2023. The industry is expected to grow even more in the coming years, making music production an increasingly important and lucrative field. Here are our best predictions for the future of music production in 2023.

According to the latest IFPI report, music industry revenues increase in each of the world’s top ten music markets. With the largest music industry markets being the US, Japan, the UK, Germany, China, France, South Korea, Canada, Brazil and Australia, music producers in these regions should engage with regional music industry players and exploit national opportunities, rather than focusing solely on breaking into the US market.

There are many statistics that back this up. The music industry market in Latin America grew by 25.9%, with Brazil and Mexico dominating the region’s music industry market share. Sub-Saharan Africa experienced an astonishing 34.7% increase as sub-Saharan music industry players rise to the global scene. The Middle East and North Africa experienced the third highest growth rate in the world – 23.8% – while Asia’s industry grew by 15.4%, dominated by Japan, China and South Korea.

Conversely, the traditionally strong industries of the US, Europe and Australasia grew by 5%, 7.5% and 8.1% respectively. Therefore, there are more opportunities than ever outside the US, Europe and Australasia to grow as a music producer, especially in a post-Covid world, where remote work is now commonplace.

Lossless audio is becoming increasingly important as certain streaming services such as Tidal, Apple Music and Amazon Music HD continue to distinguish themselves by promoting lossless and Hi-Res audio. Spotify has also announced that it’s currently working on Spotify HiFi, which will be a big step forward for the mainstreaming of lossless audio. As more music streaming platforms begin to offer lossless audio, music producers need to step up their game.

What makes lossless audio different is that you would use the original data in the file, so the audio the audience listens to is at the same quality as it is at the source. As headphone technology becomes more advanced, producers need to feel comfortable delivering lossless audio to artists.

The syncing and licensing market has risen significantly in recent years, reaching $302.9 million in 2021. With an increase in content, there is a greater demand for sync tracks – and this is where music producers, together with songwriters, can make a fortune.

With recognizable catalog tracks becoming increasingly expensive to use, there is a growing opportunity for music producers and songwriters to create sync-ready tracks that can be picked and used by music supervisors in a wide range of media. Sync-ready tracks or library music are songs that can fill the sonic gaps between key moments in a movie or television show – but do not necessarily stand out, as they largely function as background music.

A good sync track should feel universal and fit broad themes and genres. Sound effects are also highly requested, so if you’re good at that, it’s a lucrative niche! In order to get involved in the sync music field, you typically need to sign a publishing deal or work with companies that specialize in library music.

To increase your chances of landing a sync, make sure your files are organized and good to go. Don’t forget to include alternative versions, instrumentals and stems, as music production teams usually try different songs and versions before deciding on the one that fits the most.

Spatial audio is also becoming more popular, with Netflix and Apple getting in on the action. It’s a type of technology that creates an immersive, 3D audio environment that enhances the listening experience.

For producers, spatial audio requires recording engineers and music producers to use different recording and production techniques to achieve the immersive audio effect. Binaural audio is one such technique. It requires producers to use a special microphone to capture audio from two different locations.  This unique technique simulates the effect of sound waves reaching our ears.

Ambisonic audio is different from binaural audio, as producers use a special type of microphone to capture audio from different directions and create a 3D sound field. Finally, object-based audio involves capturing sound with mono microphones and then moving it in space during post-production. By learning these techniques, which are becoming increasingly popular in film, gaming and virtual reality, producers can get involved in these highly lucrative fields.

Artificial intelligence has been an extremely hot topic in the first months of 2023. Like any other field, AI is also impacting music production and producers’ work.

Undoubtedly, music production has benefited greatly from AI-powered tools such as algorithm-driven mastering services, AI-powered instruments, audio repair and AI-mixing plugins that have revolutionized the production game. Tools such as LANDR, Magenta by Google Labs and Neutron are leading the pack and facilitate music producers’ workflows.

However, the blossoming relationship between AI and music production can also come at the expense of artists. For example, the track with the AI-cloned voices of Drake and The Weeknd, which took the Internet and media by storm, is a clear example of how music producers should act with caution when AI infringes on the intellectual property of other artists. Undoubtedly, we’ll see more stories like this in the months to come.

As Pibox, we do our best to stay ahead of the curve and offer our users the best and most seamless technology that enhances music collaboration. Pibox offers a way to use technology to accelerate the music production process by allowing you to review your musical content three times faster. We’re always monitoring upcoming trends and technologies. Therefore, you can rest assured that the product you’re using will improve your production game, enabling you to take on more work. Try Pibox today to experience next-level productivity yourself.