The Age of Streaming: How Streaming is a Huge Part of Modern Culture
How did streaming go from being an ambitious and demanding pursuit to being something anyone can do?
In the grand scheme of things, it was not that long ago that live coverage of events and streaming were invented. Even live television broadcasting is less than 100 years old.
To stream or broadcast anything 20 or 30 years ago you needed a lot of equipment. Cameras and state-of-the-art internet connections were essential if anyone was going to put their concert online or share their thoughts with a wide audience. This isn’t the case anymore. Most people carry around a little device with an Apple or Google logo that can go live on the internet in seconds – with decent quality, too.
How did streaming go from being an ambitious and demanding pursuit to being something anyone can do? Even just showing your new purchases on Instagram or Facebook can be done in seconds now, and streaming is a big part of our culture.
Gaming Drives Streaming Forward
Gaming has been one of the biggest drivers of this shift. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube have transformed how people engage with games and how they consume content. It's not just about playing anymore; it’s about watching others play and enjoying their commentary.
Twitch, especially, has grown into a phenomenon where millions of viewers tune in daily to watch gamers on all sorts of games. For some, it’s a way to pick up tricks and tips. For others, it’s about the community and connection. Streamers often build loyal fan bases, with subscribers and followers who regularly tune in and chat live.
Few could have predicted how the rise of esports would further cement streaming’s place in gaming culture. Major tournaments are live-streamed to massive audiences worldwide, with top players sometimes getting millions of followers or achieving superstar status.
Some franchises and huge games have been part of the whole evolution of games from a ti,e when people needed the latest consoles to play through to the streaming age. Call of Duty was first launched in 2003 before the world really had smartphones in the same way that we have now. COD games have been on multiple platforms and are one of the most streamed and viewed games today – there is also a betting market around esports that has helped COD and similar games to grow in popularity. Call of Duty betting revolves around some of the big esports tournaments and shows how far the game has come, from being played on the PlayStation 2, the game is now being live-streamed and gambled on all around the world.
Dota 2 is also among the most popular games for streaming and there are sometimes millions of people tuning into big tournaments like the Worlds. The final is being held at the massive O2 venue in London in 2024.
Besides the big events, friends may also stream videos of their gameplay and show each other what they are up to. It is so simple to start a live stream on social media with gamers able to quickly stream to Facebook among other platforms.
Music Streaming: An Industry Revolutionized
Music needed a change – it took a while to adapt to the internet and modernize in the way that it needed to. There were a lot of issues with downloads in the early days and eventually, we moved to a streaming model first and foremost.
It has changed the whole experience and services like Spotify and Apple Music have brought a shift from collecting to curating. Listeners can explore new music at the click of a button, building personal playlists that suit their every mood. The way artists distribute music has changed as well, with new releases dropping straight onto these platforms, sometimes with little notice. It’s easier than ever for emerging artists to find an audience and drop the new album they’ve been working on.
Some bands and artists have become popular through streaming. It is probably no surprise that Taylor Swift is the most popular artist in the world on streaming platforms today.
Streaming has its pros and cons for artists but makes up one of the many ways they can connect with fans. It isn’t as profitable as selling an album to the public but it can bring new fans who may buy merch or go to their shows.
Conclusion
Video streaming has changed a lot of industries. Fast internet connections allow people to connect to audiences and even build a platform. Social media’s rise along with Netflix and some of the big TV and movie streaming industries have paved the way in a more interconnected world.
Music is streamed more than it is listened to in any other way now, showing what a revolution the industry has been through – gaming and other forms of media have followed a similar pattern as we get faster internet and even better devices.
