Pop culture has become dominated by a small group of major players, creating an oligopoly. This phenomenon is evident in various forms of media, including movies, TV, music, books, and video games. The trend of producing remakes, sequels, spinoffs, and cinematic universe expansions has taken over the market, leaving little room for original content. The consolidation of major studios and labels has contributed to this shift. While there are explanations such as invasion, consolidation, innovation, and proliferation, the consequences of this cultural oligopoly are concerning. It limits creativity, narrows the variety of content available, and inhibits the exploration of new ideas. However, there is still potential for unique and diverse content to thrive if consumers actively seek out and support it.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop Culture Has Become an Oligopoly | From a diverse range of content to a limited selection dominated by superstars | More consolidation, fewer original content creators | Invasion, consolidation, innovation, and proliferation of content |
| Movies: Original films have gone extinct | From a variety of original movies to a dominance of sequels, spinoffs, and remakes | Original movies will continue to decline in popularity | Invasion, consolidation, innovation, and proliferation of content |
| Television: Fewer franchises rule a larger share of the airwaves | From a diverse range of popular shows to a smaller number of dominant franchises | More spinoffs and multiple broadcasts of the same show | Invasion, consolidation, innovation, and proliferation of content |
| Music: Decrease in the number of artists on the Billboard Hot 100 | From a wide range of artists to a smaller group topping the charts | Fewer artists will dominate the charts | Invasion, consolidation, innovation, and proliferation of content |
| Books: Oligopoly has come to book publishing | From a variety of authors to repeat authors dominating the top 10 bestseller lists | More repeat authors and established authors in the top 10 | Invasion, consolidation, innovation, and proliferation of content |
| Video games: Franchise installments dominate the bestselling games | From a mix of franchise and original games to a dominance of franchise games | More franchise games at the top of the charts | Invasion, consolidation, innovation, and proliferation of content |
| Algorithmic content selection | From diverse content selection to algorithmically driven recommendations | Increased reliance on algorithms for content selection | Desire for convenience and familiarity |