How producers shape Iran’s musical taste
By Alireza Sepahvand
Journalist
In examining the current state of music in Iran, especially what is prevalent among the younger generation, the prominent role of producers and concert organizers cannot be overlooked. Contrary to the common perception that musical taste is entirely individual and spontaneous, society’s auditory preferences, particularly among urban youth, are largely shaped by a guided economic–cultural mechanism. Within this mechanism, the producer is not merely a financial backer, but the primary decision-maker regarding “what should be heard” and “what should be pushed to the margins.”
Music as a commodity, not an artwork
In recent years, music in Iran has been viewed less as an independent art form and more as a commodity for rapid consumption and short-term profitability. The decline in album sales, the gradual shutdown of the physical music market, and the expansion of virtual spaces have turned concerts into the main source of income for the music industry. Under such conditions, the criterion for selecting music is not artistic quality, but “marketability.”
Producers naturally gravitate toward works that carry lower risk: Pieces with fast tempos, simple lyrics, familiar melodies, and arrangements that have already proven successful. While these patterns may attract audiences in the short term, in the long run they lead to creative poverty, tedious repetition, and the superficialization of the musical landscape.
Concerts as core criterion
In today’s Iran, concerts are not merely live performances; they are the beating heart of the music economy. This has led many works to be conceived from the outset with “live performance” in mind, rather than as deep listening experiences. A piece must be designed to excite the crowd, allow for sing-alongs, and create a high-energy, rhythmic atmosphere.
In such an environment, music that requires concentration, silence, or contemplation such as Iranian classical music, regional music, contemporary music, or even artistic pop effectively loses its chance to enter the main concert cycle. This gradual exclusion occurs not because of a lack of potential audience, but due to the absence of “immediate economic viability.”
Trivial lyrics, repetition driven by market
When the measure of success for a piece is the number of tickets sold, content inevitably becomes a casualty. In recent years, we have witnessed the spread of lyrics that lack literary depth, imagery, or even linguistic coherence. Romantic clichés, simplistic phrases, and repetitive concepts have replaced personal expression and lived experience.
On the other hand, arrangements have also become trapped in a closed loop: Similar rhythmic patterns, identical instrumentation, and excessive use of electronic effects instead of the pursuit of new sounds. This uniformity is neither accidental nor the result of technical inability; rather, it is the direct consequence of market pressure and producers’ demand for “guaranteed sales.”
No systematic support for serious music
One of the most significant problems in Iran’s music scene is the absence of sustained support for serious music across all genres. Serious music does not necessarily mean traditional or classical music; rather, it includes any form of music that seeks experimentation, innovation, or independent artistic expression.
Such music is neither visible in official media, nor taken seriously by concert organizers, nor able to compete economically with commercial projects. The result of this situation is the gradual migration of independent artists toward underground spaces, limited private performances, or the release of works on platforms with small audiences.
Young people: Consumers or victims?
It is not possible to place all responsibility for the current situation on young audiences. Today’s youth are not exposed to genuinely diverse choices; instead, what they mostly see and hear is the product of targeted investment. When advertisements, venues, billboards, and social media are saturated with one particular type of music, it is natural for that type to become the “dominant taste.”
Taste, contrary to popular belief, is not static or innate; it is constructed, taught, and shaped through repetition. The removal of serious music from public space gradually diminishes society’s listening capacity as well.
Closed cycle of producer, singer, and concert
In many cases, the relationship between producer and singer is structured in such a way that the artist becomes effectively trapped within a pre-defined framework. A singer who wishes to try a different path risks losing financial support and performance opportunities.
This closed cycle not only limits individual creativity, but also pushes the musical environment toward uniformity, an environment in which difference is considered a risk and repetition a competitive advantage.
An issue beyond taste
What we see today in Iran’s mainstream music is not the result of free collective choice, but the outcome of a combination of economic pressures, a concert-centered structure, the absence of institutional support, and the conservative decisions of producers.
If any change is to occur in the musical taste of society, it will not come from blaming the audience, but through reforming production structures, providing genuine support for serious music, diversifying performance spaces, and redefining the role of the producer.
Otherwise, music will continue to revolve around sales loud, bright, and flashy, yet empty of depth and lasting impact.