There’s growing evidence that the Web 2.0 ‘Long Tail’ theory is a bust for the online creative sector. Back in 2004, then Wired editor Chris Anderson theorized that blockbusters would matter less in the internet age and that everyone would sell “less of more.” But in today’s cultural world, where Marvel movies dominate and tech company algorithms all but ignore independent creators, the Long Tail theory is more like a fairy tale than a reality.
I disagree *strongly* with the idea of the "failure" of the long tail. Marvel movies dominate, but silly blockbusters have long dominated the Hollywood system. You'd have never seen a wide release of a movie like Parasite in 1999. Netflix, for all its dominance, produces an array of niche entertainment that is quite easily discoverable and continues creating weirdnesses like Big Mouth or I Think You Should Leave, or distributing a vast amount of international TV. Vimeo champions independent creators and distributes their work. Fleabag would never have happened without the prominence of the Long Tail.
I have the same experience with Spotify -- there is infinitely more variety of popular music than there ever was in the late 90s when they would only let one woman on the radio at a time. Diverse cultural offerings are far more discoverable and monetizable than they have ever been before... now, not everyone's making a living wage from their creations, which is a massive problem, but they can certainly reach people.
I want to look into more data to support this, but anecdotally there's still a massive place for the long tail, especially when you compare today to the sad state of mass communications in the late 90s. Algorithms aren't hiding any more content than human tv or radio programmers were 20 years ago.
I disagree *strongly* with the idea of the "failure" of the long tail. Marvel movies dominate, but silly blockbusters have long dominated the Hollywood system. You'd have never seen a wide release of a movie like Parasite in 1999. Netflix, for all its dominance, produces an array of niche entertainment that is quite easily discoverable and continues creating weirdnesses like Big Mouth or I Think You Should Leave, or distributing a vast amount of international TV. Vimeo champions independent creators and distributes their work. Fleabag would never have happened without the prominence of the Long Tail.
I have the same experience with Spotify -- there is infinitely more variety of popular music than there ever was in the late 90s when they would only let one woman on the radio at a time. Diverse cultural offerings are far more discoverable and monetizable than they have ever been before... now, not everyone's making a living wage from their creations, which is a massive problem, but they can certainly reach people.
I want to look into more data to support this, but anecdotally there's still a massive place for the long tail, especially when you compare today to the sad state of mass communications in the late 90s. Algorithms aren't hiding any more content than human tv or radio programmers were 20 years ago.