"Former Ticketmaster CEO Links TikTok to Vinyl Album Lengths"
Former Ticketmaster CEO, Nathan Hubbard, sparked controversy by attributing the 39-minute runtime of Olivia Rodrigo's album, "GUTS," to the "TikTokization" of music. However, the length of albums has historically been influenced by physical limitations of vinyl records and commercial needs. Vinyl albums typically held around 20 minutes per side, resulting in albums like Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" and The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" clocking in at 39 minutes. While the streaming era has loosened these constraints, modern pop stars like Rodrigo still adhere to established traditions. Hubbard's comments highlight the disconnect between industry executives and the labor of musicians, while overlooking the actual impact of social media on music.