What's the Difference Between Music and "Noise"?

The music industry debates the value of "noise"

What’s your favorite background noise? Maybe you like to relax to nature sounds like birds chirping, calm ocean waves or crickets. Or, you prefer a wash of nondescript white noise; an ongoing whooosh. Personally, I like to put on The Office and have the sounds of a mid-sized paper supply company as my soundtrack while writing.

The music industry is currently debating the value of “noise”— and more importantly, whether it should be monetized in the same way as traditional music.

As Billboard reports: “Also referred to as ‘non-artist noise content,‘ ‘non-music,‘ ‘functional music‘ (a commonly used term that some disagree with), and more by Spotify and music industry skeptics, these tracks capture sounds like wind, bird calls and white noise, and have become popular for listeners to stream, often for hours on end, while they sleep, focus, relax or meditate.”

Although these random sounds and ambient noise seem harmless enough, the problem is royalties.