An interview with Matt Reilly, Head of Business Strategy and Product Development, Cambridge Audio US
The music industry has evolved dramatically over the last decade. Modern technology has forever changed the way people discover, engage and enjoy their favorite songs. Over the past few years digital music distribution and white-label distribution platforms have taken the lead while physical formats like vinyl experienced a revival during the pandemic. How has the industry shifted over time, what are the latest trends and what can we expect in 2023 and beyond? Flanelle Magazine gets a unique perspective from trendy audio brand, Cambridge Audio.
An interview to discuss how music has evolved and where is it going next
Matt Reilly, Head of North America, Business Strategy and Product Development at Cambridge Audio, has spent the past twenty years in the hi-fi and music industry. A lifelong music fan, festivalphile and quality sound lover, Matt provides his perspective on the opportunities ahead, views on new talent and breaking song genres. He believes that 2023 will be the year where music distribution through digital channels will consolidate and music discovery will be approached in two different ways – one where discovery is done so in a community driven manner and the other computer-based and AI-driven.
Matt’s remit at Cambridge Audio is to expand the iconic British audio brand’s footprint and network in the US. Matt joined Cambridge Audio because of his industry passion and was drawn by the company’s unique, free-thinking, challenger culture. He also loves the accessibility of the products and the fact that Cambridge Audio makes it fun and engaging for its music fans. “We understand that music is a shared experience and by making our products easy to use it gives you the opportunity to forget about the gear and truly enjoy the music, “ says Reilly.
Matt has enjoyed working at the company since 2021 and has been involved in its new exciting chapter with ambitious plans for the business, including the recent global partnership with the incredible DeLorean Motor Company and recent EarthPercent partnership where the company joined forces with other industry veterans to raise its sustainability credentials to better protect the planet. Prior to Cambridge Audio, Matt has spent the past decade working with a range of respected high end acoustic, electronic and luxury brands including Focal, Naim and Devialet where he has held a variety of roles from in-house advisor to distributor.
Flanelle: Q: How has social media shifted the music landscape?
Matt: In my spare time, I have always collected and listened to music in numerous formats from vinyl, CD, streaming to cassette and love how music is evolving with all the diversification in the 21st century from Indie Rock to Pop-Punk, Disney Artists and Country-Pop. With so many artistic compositions emerging, artists have realized the potential of the internet to portray their musical talents and experiment. This is a positive for the industry and music followers as it means more accessibility and exposure to finding sounds that people love.
Over the years I have also seen shifts in how people engage with music with artists now relying heavily on streaming services and social media to promote their art. It is encouraging to observe a variety of emerging musicians finding success in this new landscape. With more industry entrants and musical styles being developed songwriters and producers are feeling more empowered to collaborate in creative ways which results in even more sophisticated and complex sounds being made.
The trends that excite me the most is how retro and vinyl have made a comeback with younger generations, along with the revival of our collective love for gigs, concerts and festivals post pandemic. Music is a communal experience so it is nice to share in it a collaborative setting again.
Flanelle Q: What music trends excite you the most?
Matt: I predict that we will see songs become more upbeat and colorful with greater creativity in how people discover and engage with music through live events and immersive experiences. The other thing that excites me is seeing more sustainability in the music industry and greater innovation around product design and sound delivery.
Flanelle Q: What artists or playlists are you currently listening to?
Matt: I love The Smiths, Blur, The Cranberries, Kaiser Chiefs and Babyshambles. They all had some of their most iconic records produced by Stephen Street. Cambridge Audio recently had the pleasure of interviewing Stephen Street on our #MusicMoments podcast which is worth a listen. As for newer talent, I am currently listening to two amazing artists Parisian Musician Darius and K Zia. I was pleased to see your recent profiles on both musicians. It is always nice to know when I am on trend.
Flanelle Q: What are your predictions for the future?
Matt: In this hyper information age music can sometimes be all about the scroll, swipe or like. We tend to listen to music in bits and pieces and I worry we get distracted during our music discovery. I think we will see two different types of music consumption emerge – one type of consumer who wants music discovery to be all about highlights and quick sound bytes for speed of discovery and another type of consumer who will want a deeper listening experience. One which is slower, where you tune out other online activities to immerse yourself into the song story so the sound or melody can be time stamped into your memory.
Flanelle Q: What are your hopes for the industry?
Matt: Music lovers and brands can sometimes be guilty of coming across as exclusive or pretentious. Cambridge Audio and I share a passion that music should be accessible rather than elitist. I believe music and record culture should be about discovery and curation that connects people. While I know the industry will be more AI and data driven, as there are benefits to this, I do hope that we keep soul into the experience. Music is tribal and I think our connection to it should not just be about computer driven efficiencies. It’s about the connection to the song and sometimes that can be found by being open to something new or unpredictable.