By CultureBanx Team
- Music equipment and tech imports are subject to tariffs
- Independent music artists and producers relying on global tools face rising production costs
Behind every hit beat is a studio full of gear, and this gear that often comes from overseas. As tariffs hit musical instruments, audio interfaces, mics, and MIDI controllers made in China, Black indie musicians may pay the price of protectionism.
Why This Matters: Professors from Michigan State University and the University of Oregon found that music production tech has become cheaper and more democratized, giving rise to a generation of creators producing from their bedrooms. Tariffs on this gear create a barrier to entry. While established labels can afford premium U.S. equipment, smaller creators often can’t.
From beat makers in Atlanta to Afrobeats producers in Lagos, collaborating with the diaspora, this network of digital creativity thrives on accessible tools. As prices rise, some of that creativity could be stifled or lost.
These creators are the architects of what we listen to globally. When tariffs hit, we risk silencing future innovators before they get a chance to shape the soundscape.
What’s Next: The next global sound is likely being made on a laptop right now. Let’s not tariff it into silence.
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