Culture ACCELERATED.

Heartfelt global response to the recent tragic passing of Tim “Avicii” Bergling is testament to the massive impact the late DJ/Producer had on dance music and culture. The nature of this response, especially that which flowed from fellow DJ/Producers, has caused me to reflect on the accelerated culture within which we now live.

As news of the artist’s passing fanned out through social media, I was struck by the number of today’s EDM superstars, including Martin Garrix, whom have cited Bergling as their biggest inspiration and main reason for choosing music as a career. If we were speaking of Rock Guitar, such tributes would likely be reserved for the likes of Eric Clapton (73), Jimmy Page (74), Keith Richards (74), and select other iconic septuagenarians. Tim Bergling was 28 years old.

Internet-fuelled digital disruption has allowed the creative voices of savvy artists (supported by savvy managers) to reach and influence all corners of the earth at lightening speed. By way of contrast, while Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart passed away in 1791 at the age of 35, most would concur that it was not until the 20th century when his influence and impact could clearly be felt and documented.

At the risk of sounding insensitive in the shadow of his recent passing, trust that I am not intending to compare the overall musical and cultural influence of Bergling to Mozart; only time will tell whether their is a legitimate connection to be made. What has struck me, however, is that the influence of Tim “Avicii” Bergling has been felt by millions of aspiring creators from every corner of the world almost instantly. This is Culture ACCELERATED.