The Great Moral Panic: A Historical Tradition in Music Tech

Every generation of musicians faces its existential crisis—that moment when purists declare new technology will destroy artistry. When Bob Dylan went electric at Newport in 1965, folk traditionalists screamed “Judas!”—conveniently forgetting acoustic guitars were once radical tech too. When synthesizers emerged, orchestras predicted the death of “real” instruments. HipHop’s sampling pioneers faced lawsuits for “stealing” music. Even AutoTune sparked endless debates about authenticity. As one musician noted: “The same thing happened to me when I started using virtual instruments… I wouldn’t wear it to drive a long journey or enjoy at home, savouring every nuance” .