It seems increasingly likely that the future of how we listen to music lies in immersive audio, after a report from Dolby claimed an increase in the number of big names offering their music in its atmospheric format.
As reported by Music Ally, during a company earnings call (opens in a new tab) earlier this week, Dolby CEO Kevin Yeaman revealed to investors: "We have two-thirds of the top 100 Billboard artists who have one or more songs available in Dolby Atmosphere”,
Yeoman also highlighted how Atmos was beginning to be adopted in live music situations as well, pointing to R'n'B star Usher's recent residency at MGM in Las Vegas, which featured 3D audio mixing.
A quick look at the latest album chart seems to back up Yeaman's claim. New albums from big names like Harry Styles, Lizzo and Megan Thee Stallion have been released in Dolby Atmos in recent weeks, indicating that multi-channel mixing could very well become the norm for major labels.
Apple Music last year became the latest major streaming service to offer a sizable library of new and classic music in Dolby Atmos, following in the footsteps of rivals Amazon Music and Tidal, which also offer some high-resolution multichannel versions. .
The Dolby news came as high-end music streaming service Qobuz announced that it had partnered with THX to offer tracks in the company's new 24-bit THX spatial audio format.
So far, three tracks featuring THX Spatial Audio from Circuit des Yeux, Dinosaur Jr and Anat Cohen have been streamed on the service, with special 3D audio mixes intended to give listeners the feeling of being in the same space as the performers.
According to Qobuz, you don't need a specific pair of headphones to discover THX Spatial Audio tracks, with all three songs now available to subscribers (opens in a new tab).
Analysis: The time for immersive audio may finally be here
Though dismissed as a gimmick by many Hi-Fi chefs, the rise of 3D audio now seems undeniable.
Apple Music's decision last year to start offering an extensive library in its proprietary Spatial Audio streaming music format appears to have opened the floodgates.
No longer just an exercise in breathing new life into classic albums from legacy acts, it's now becoming unusual for new albums from major acts from contemporary labels to not be available to stream on Atmos, with a growing number of artists also offering unique recordings. specially designed for surround sound.
Apple has further aided the format's adoption with its support for Spatial Audio across much of its hardware, including AirPods and iPhones, while a recent update to its recording software, the industry-standard Logic Audio, has made it mixing in Atmos for producers is a whole. much easier
Spotify remains a barrier to 3D audio, but most of its rivals now offer Atmos (main Chinese streaming service QQ Music started offering music in immersive audio format last month) and interest in immersive music for artists and audiences grow, the world's leading music platform will soon have to change its tune.