Kanye West is a musical and cultural icon, paving his own path when it comes to his career. His unique sense of style, music production and overall artistry have been the main reasons for his success, and his most recent endeavor is no different.
With the release of West’s newest album, “Donda 2,” he took to social media to release his newest project, the Stem Player. The Stem Player is the only platform where West will stream his newest album. In the creation of this, he cut ties with two massive music platforms, Spotify and Apple Music. His purpose for this creation was to give creators the attribution they deserve.
The stem player is not just a platform, it is a physical speaker. The speaker has attributes that separate it from competitive music devices such as JBL or Sonos.. The wireless music device has the ability to separate different aspects of the song. Listeners can isolate the vocals, drums, melody and bass. Although the speaker has some attention drawing factors, fans are not fully convinced, and the 200 dollar price tag is not doing the speaker any favors.
Senior Charlie Adams is a fan of West’s music but is skeptical of the speaker. “I would not buy the Stem Player, I really enjoy his music and want to listen to his newest album though,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to get leaked on another free music platform soon.”
Freeing his music from industrial oppression was the goal, but whether or not the speaker will land with his fans is under debate. The fame that West has accumulated within his career has come with an equal amount of drama. Followers of West have stayed loyal to his music but still hold onto concern after his most recent posts on Instagram. His unpredictable social media presence and many scandals have fans questioning the legitimacy of the Stem Player.
Senior Brady Hunter is another fan of West’s music but is not confident in the success of the Stem Player. “I think that the player is gonna get looked at poorly because of Kanye’s reputation. He has a past of doing dramatic and irrational things that could make his credibility go down,” he shared.
Although West has already reported extreme success with his product, the future of the speaker is still in question. The idea is original, and the possibility of other big names and brands getting involved is not unlikely.
Adams said, “He’s selling the stem player because he wants more ownership. When other streaming platforms purchase rights and make profits they’re taking ownership of his work. I would not be surprised if more people wanted involvement because of the freedom the concept has.”
West is no stranger to unconventional ideas, and the Stem Player is one of his most unique creations thus far. The establishment of a platform that gives back to creators, instead of profiting off their success is revolutionary in the music world. West’s entrepreneurship with the speaker has the potential to be a hit and transform the music industry. The speaker has already gained popularity among those who managed to get one, but the effects it will hold on the prosperity of West’s next album are still unclear.
