R.I.P. paperback books

[SebastianHolt]

I don't think AI has killed anything yet. Digital access has killed some things, but not AI.

a degree in music is worthless. Humans can not compete with A.I. in terms of songwriting & arrangement

 

[Writer61]

I read an interview with Stephen King several years ago, in which he was asked what the future of books was, in light of the move to digital media.

I don't recall precisely what he said, but the gist of it was an analogy of books to horses. He said that horses were once seen largely as disposable objects, used to perform particular tasks and readily discarded when they were no longer of use. But once horses were superseded by motor vehicles, they gained in stature as beautiful things to be cherished and admired.

King postulated a similar future for printed books. He pointed out that the vast majority of books were treated as disposable, to be read once and tossed aside, but once they were no longer the principal source of reading material, they would become more venerated as heirlooms and collectible art objects.

Given the number of box sets and special editions on the market these days, I think he had a point.

I think he is absolutely right. You could make a similar argument about theatres; arguably, they should have been rendered obsolete by film and TV, and yet they remain, although expensive and largely confined to major cities.

 

[alohadave]

Think we can all agree that A.i. has killed off the music world

When did we decide this?

but what about for books? Can someone still make a career out of being an aauthor?

It's as easy today, as it's ever been. Meaning it's hard as fuck to make a career from being a published author. But that was true before AI.

 

[SebastianHolt]

Earlier this year, I attended a festival featuring over 70 performers. Next year's edition has >40 announced so far.

Much better than a gig at your local AWS data centre.

I pray that I'm wrong and dream that music (created by humans and performed by humans) comes back big and strong.

My viewpoint is skewed as I'm looking at sales for Guitar Manufacturing companies & the death of a company called "G&L Music." G&L made guitars —long story —but a company called Fender just purchased them, more or less putting them out of business. In two years, nobody will remember G&L (unless you're a fan of Alice in Chains) {Fender wanted the patients, their old old old machine tools, and naming rights to the word 'fender')

 

[SyleusSnow]

Things change, but books are alive and kicking, including paperbacks. Self-published indie authors can get readers and money.

Jill Bearup just revealed her income over two years from her first book:

Very inspiring. She put in the work, though: professional editing, layout and cover design, and produced it in multiple formats, including audio book.

 

[alohadave]

I mean that mass market corporate music designed to appeal to the widest possible audience drains funding from small venues and niche genres, blocks any pathway to success for newer, more innovative audiences and inevitably leads to a deterioration of quality over all.

I'd say that Ticketmaster/LiveNation bears a large part of the blame for this.

 

[SebastianHolt]

When did we decide this?


It's as easy today, as it's ever been. Meaning it's hard as fuck to make a career from being a published author. But that was true before AI.

The 'end' product for authors and musicians — it's never been easier to get your product into people's hands. For authors, we have the Amazon platform (Kindle and CreateSpace), and for musicians, Reverb is one platform to get your music into the hands of fans. Very easy to do yet nearly impossible to find a million paying fans.

 

[SebastianHolt]

Things change, but books are alive and kicking, including paperbacks. Self-published indie authors can get readers and money.

Jill Bearup just revealed her income over two years from her first book:

Very inspiring. She put in the work, though: professional editing, layout and cover design, and produced it in multiple formats, including audio book.

Thanks for that info! She's kind of funny. Your link didn't work for me but I googled her name and found this(

)

 

[MelissaBaby]

I'd say that Ticketmaster/LiveNation bears a large part of the blame for this.

Pearl Jam was telling everyone that thirty years ago.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Breaks my heart that the music industry is dead. Hell, music as we know it is over! I doubt that we will ever see bans like Metallica, journey, Motley Cru, Disturbed, 5FDP, or Def leppard. Gone are the days of buying a bands music but what really troubles me is gone are the days of seeing a band live. The business model is too broken to be repair.

Sure we will see some garage/bar bands but there is no way to make a career out of music.

I for one will miss that dream/fantasy but will miss bands on tour

Oh hey DanO ....


https://loudwire.com/metallica-2026-tour-dates/

https://www.metallica.com/news/2025-05-22-m72-returns-to-europe-in-2026.html

 

[Britva415]

Nane a band that can host a tour like Def Leppard/Journey?

You could have asked that years and years before AI music. This change wasn't about AI or even about digital recording at all. It was about culture, taste, values and economics.

Digital media may have changed things, especially digital recording and production tools, but also especially digital-device listening, but none of that has anything to do with today's AI.

As far as paperbacks goes, cassettes ate into record sales, CDs replaced both, the internet eliminated physical media almost entirely, but those are just access formats. Music didn't stop being performed and recorded.

Me, I read about 15 books on a screen for every one I read in paperback. They're still original and written by people. People are still going to write novels, even when paperbacks really do stop being printed.

 

[Off_base]

a degree in music is worthless. Humans can not compete with A.I. in terms of songwriting & arrangement

There are thousands of full-time songwriters in Austin, Nashville, LA, and New York who would disagree.

 

[Off_base]

I pray that I'm wrong and dream that music (created by humans and performed by humans) comes back big and strong.

My viewpoint is skewed as I'm looking at sales for Guitar Manufacturing companies & the death of a company called "G&L Music." G&L made guitars —long story —but a company called Fender just purchased them, more or less putting them out of business. In two years, nobody will remember G&L (unless you're a fan of Alice in Chains) {Fender wanted the patients, their old old old machine tools, and naming rights to the word 'fender')

The "L" in G&L guitars is Leo Fender. Fender guitars, FYI.

 

[Britva415]

Humans can not compete with A.I. in terms of songwriting & arrangement

lmfao

this has got to be tongue in cheek

 

[AchtungNight]

My favorite band to see in concert is The Scorpions. Def Leppard is a close second.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

My favorite band to see in concert is The Scorpions.

– **August 30, 2026:** Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

 

[Off_base]

The 'end' product for authors and musicians — it's never been easier to get your product into people's hands. For authors, we have the Amazon platform (Kindle and CreateSpace), and for musicians, Reverb is one platform to get your music into the hands of fans. Very easy to do yet nearly impossible to find a million paying fans.

Spotify is the largest music platform, still turning unknowns into stars, as we speak.

 

[ElectricBlue]

My viewpoint is skewed as I'm looking at sales for Guitar Manufacturing companies & the death of a company called "G&L Music." G&L made guitars —long story —but a company called Fender just purchased them, more or less putting them out of business. In two years, nobody will remember G&L (unless you're a fan of Alice in Chains) {Fender wanted the patients, their old old old machine tools, and naming rights to the word 'fender')

G&L was the company Leo Fender set up, with his best guitar designer, after he sold the rights to the Fender name to a conglomerate, back in the 1970s. G&L then made custom guitars until Leo's death, and the rights to G&L went to his wife.

If Fender has now purchased G&L, all they have done is gone around full circle, and now own all Fender related products, patents and brand names. Guitar aficionados know this history, and I reckon you'll still get G&L badged guitars, with a price to match.

 

[Off_base]

Spotify is the largest music platform, still turning unknowns into stars, as we speak.

And, soundcloud.

 

[ElectricBlue]

As far as paperbacks goes, cassettes ate into record sales, CDs replaced both, the internet eliminated physical media almost entirely, but those are just access formats. Music didn't stop being performed and recorded.

And any band who wants cred will release 500 or so vinyl copies. I can buy more vinyl now than I could ten years ago, that's for sure.

 

[DanOkeffie]

Don't agree with the premise at all. I'm a musician.

Here is another spin,

There are thousands of full-time songwriters in Austin, Nashville, LA, and New York who would disagree.

Their time is limited sad to say.. im sure they feel pressure

 

[DanOkeffie]

G&L was the company Leo Fender set up, with his best guitar designer, after he sold the rights to the Fender name to a conglomerate, back in the 1970s. G&L then made custom guitars until Leo's death, and the rights to G&L went to his wife.

If Fender has now purchased G&L, all they have done is gone around full circle, and now own all Fender related products, patents and brand names. Guitar aficionados know this history, and I reckon you'll still get G&L badged guitars, with a price to match.

So we are down to ESP, Fender, Gibson, Martin and a couple others

 

[Off_base]

So we are down to ESP, Fender, Gibson, Martin and a couple others

PRS, Yamaha, Taylor, epiphone, Ibanez, Jackson, Gretsch, Schechter, Ernie Ball, Warwick, Washburn...
I can keep going, if you want?

 

[Off_base]

Here is another spin,

Their time is limited sad to say.. im sure they feel pressure

There's no evidence to support this speculation

 

[ElectricBlue]

So we are down to ESP, Fender, Gibson, Martin and a couple others

Pretty much. Just like it was 65 years ago. The list up above, when you look into them, a lot were copies in the first place.

There's a reason so many of the "old"guitars are still being made - those guys got it right a long time ago.