englishnewseasy.com
Why We Stream Old Songs
我们为什么总爱听老歌
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Why We Stream Old Songs
我们为什么总爱听老歌
流媒体平台上每天涌现超过10万首新歌，但人们更爱听的却是熟悉的旧时热门金曲。如今经典老歌触手可及，而TikTok等社交媒体上的热潮往往只是昙花一现，新歌手很难积累起长期的粉丝群体。这导致近三分之二的播放量都集中在排名前0.4%的歌手身上，失去立足之地的新人音乐家正面临巨大危机。
More than 100,000 songs arrive on streaming apps every day,
每天有超过10万首新歌上线流媒体应用，arrive on streaming apps 上线流媒体应用 / every day 每天
but people are largely ignoring them.
但人们基本对此不屑一顾。largely ignoring 基本置之不理
Instead, listeners are streaming older hits in record numbers.
相反，听众收听老歌的次数却创下了历史新高。streaming older hits 收听老歌 / in record numbers 创纪录地
In the first half of 2026, data company Luminate found that
据数据公司 Luminate 在2026年上半年的调查显示，first half of 在上半年 / data company 数据公司 / found that 调查发现
about 60% of all music played was released five or more years ago.
所有播放的音乐中，约有60%是发布于五年或更早之前的歌曲。all music played 所有播放的音乐 / released five or more years ago 发行于五年或更早之前
In the UK, 18 of the year's top 20 bestselling tracks
在英国，今年最畅销的20首歌曲中，有18首year's top 20 年度前20名 / bestselling tracks 最畅销的歌曲
were released 12 months ago or earlier.
都是在12个月甚至更早之前发行的。released 发行 / 12 months ago or earlier 12个月前或更早
Why is this happening?
为什么会出现这种现象呢？
With millions of classic tracks available at the touch of a button,
只需轻点按钮就能畅听数百万首经典曲目，classic tracks available 可收听的经典歌曲 / touch of a button 轻触按键
listeners naturally cling to familiar nostalgia.
人们自然而然地会留恋那些熟悉而令人怀念的老歌。naturally cling to 自然而然地依恋 / familiar nostalgia 熟悉的怀旧感
Also, platforms like TikTok create brief viral moments for a single song,
此外，虽然像 TikTok 这样的平台能让某一首歌短暂爆火，brief viral moments 短暂的病毒式爆红 / single song 单曲
but fans rarely stay to support an artist's career.
但很少会有粉丝真正留下来持续支持歌手的音乐生涯。rarely stay 很少留下来 / support an artist's career 支持艺术家的事业
Because of this habit, new musicians are suffering.
由于这种消费习惯，新人音乐人们正陷入巨大困境。new musicians 新人音乐人 / are suffering 备受困扰
UK regulators found that nearly two-thirds of all streams
英国监管机构发现，近三分之二的流媒体播放量UK regulators 英国监管机构 / nearly two-thirds 近三分之二
go to just the top 0.4% of artists.
仅仅流向了排名前0.4%的歌手。go to 流向 / top 0.4% of artists 排名前0.4%的艺术家
To fix this crisis, companies like Apple Music say
为了解决这场危机，像 Apple Music 这样的公司表示，fix this crisis 解决这场危机
they are curating playlists to champion tomorrow's talent,
他们正在精心策划歌单，大力支持明日之星，curating playlists 策划歌单 / champion tomorrow's talent 支持未来的新秀
before the industry runs out of future headliners.
以免音乐产业陷入后继无人的尴尬境地。industry runs out of 行业耗尽 / future headliners 未来压轴领衔明星
Quiz 🧠
Q1. When people have access to millions of songs, they often prefer familiar old hits.
查看答案
✅ True
人们在自己熟悉的音乐中能获得安心感，因此会更多地收听老歌。
Listeners feel comfortable with music they already know, so older hits get more plays.
Q2. What does "champion" mean in "champion young talent"?
查看答案
✅ support
'champion'表示为了某人的成功而积极给予支持或帮助。
To champion someone means to support them or help them succeed.
Q3. Most streams go to old hits. Why do music apps promote new musicians?
查看答案
✅ To build future stars
因为音乐产业需要不断涌现出能撑起未来大型舞台的新生代当红歌手，行业才能持续运转。
The music industry needs new popular artists so it has headliners in the future.
Dialogue 🎧
Liam: Over a hundred thousand new songs are uploaded every single day. That is insane.
Liam: 每天有超过十万首新歌上传，这也太疯狂了。
Sophia: It is crazy. But almost nobody is actually listening to them.
Sophia: 确实离谱。但实际上几乎根本没人去听它们。
Liam: Wait, nobody? What are we all playing then?
Liam: 等等，没人听？那大家平时都在听什么啊？
Sophia: Old hits.
Sophia: 以前的老歌。
Sophia: Luminate found that sixty percent of streams are songs from five or more years ago.
Sophia: Luminate 的调查显示，60%的播放量都来自发行了五年及以上的歌曲。
Liam: Oof, guilty as charged. I just loop my high school playlists all day.
Liam: 哎呀，膝盖中了一箭，我自己就是这样。我整天都在单曲循环高中时听的歌单。
Sophia: You are not alone!
Sophia: 你绝不是一个人！
Sophia: In the UK, eighteen of the top twenty tracks were at least a year old.
Sophia: 在英国，排名前二十的热门歌曲里，有十八首至少都是一年前发行的。
Liam: Why are we so obsessed with the past right now?
Liam: 我们现在为什么对过去如此执迷不悟呢？
Sophia: It is pure nostalgia.
Sophia: 纯粹是因为怀旧。
Sophia: Every classic track is right there at our fingertips, so we cling to what feels safe.
Sophia: 手指轻轻一点，所有经典老歌就唾手可得，所以大家更愿意停留在让自己感到安心的事物里。
Liam: Doesn't TikTok help new artists break through, though?
Liam: 不过，TikTok 难道没有帮助新人歌手打开知名度吗？
Sophia: Not really.
Sophia: 其实并没有。
Sophia: A track goes viral for fifteen seconds, but fans rarely stay to support the artist's career.
Sophia: 一首歌爆火十五秒，但很少会有粉丝留下来继续支持这位歌手后续的演艺生涯。
Liam: That feels really sad for new musicians.
Liam: 对新音乐人来说，这也太让人难过了。
Sophia: It is brutal.
Sophia: 现实就是这么残酷。
Sophia: Regulators found that nearly two-thirds of all streams go to just the top zero point four percent.
Sophia: 监管机构发现，近三分之二的流媒体播放量仅仅流向了前0.4%的顶级歌手。
Liam: Zero point four percent? That leaves basically nothing for anyone starting out.
Liam: 0.4%？那给刚起步的新人简直没留什么生存空间了。
Sophia: Right. That is why Apple Music is curating playlists to champion tomorrow's talent.
Sophia: 没错。所以 Apple Music 正在精心制作歌单，全力支持明日之星。
Liam: They are worried we will run out of future headliners, aren't they?
Liam: 他们是担心以后再也没有能够撑场面的压轴巨星了吧？
Sophia: Exactly. If we only listen to yesterday, tomorrow has no stage.
Sophia: 一点没错。如果所有人都只听昨天的歌，那明天就再也没有舞台了。