The other day, I stumbled across an article from MIDiA Research titled “Welcome to Entertainment’s Mad Max Era: Here’s Where It Leads”, and I’ve got to say… it hit like a brick through a shop window.
It’s not just an analysis, it’s a warning flare shot into the sky about where the entertainment industry is headed and how we, as creators and consumers, are being pulled along for the ride whether we like it or not.
Let me walk you through what the article says and then share where I sit with all of this.
What’s This “Mad Max Era” All About?
According to the article, the entertainment world (music, film, TV, games, social media) is no longer a stable, well-oiled machine. It’s a fragmented, chaotic free-for-all. MIDiA paints the picture of a content wasteland, where everyone is fighting for attention in a world overflowing with “stuff” but starved for meaning.
We’re in what they call a “Mad Max era” — a time defined by:
- Platform chaos (everything everywhere, all at once)
- Algorithm-driven survival (only the fastest, loudest, or most extreme get noticed)
- Creative burnout and exhaustion
- A race to the bottom in terms of value and sustainability
And it’s not just the artists and creators suffering because audiences are feeling it too. Having too much choice at your fingertips is numbing, and engagement is spread so thin that even major hits vanish faster than ever before.
MIDiA argues that we’re heading toward a tipping point where the entire model of making and monetising content is going to need a rethink.
We’re All Driving Rusty Cars Through the Desert, But There’s Still a Map
I read the article twice, not because it was hard to understand, but because it echoed so much of what I’ve been feeling lately as a songwriter, musician, and content creator. The creative world right now feels loud, fast, and strangely empty.
It’s like everyone’s trying to shout over each other at the same time while the audience has already wandered off.
But here’s the thing: even in the middle of chaos, we have choices. We can choose depth over noise, craft over gimmicks, and connection over virality.
Yes, it might feel like we’re driving a beat-up old car through a storm of flying debris, but the solution isn’t necessarily building a bigger engine, it’s stopping long enough to ask, “Where do I actually want to go?”
I don’t think the answer is to join the race. I think it’s to build smaller, more meaningful roads. Connect with real people. Create for those who are truly listening, not just scrolling.
The article rightly points out that the current system is unsustainable. But in that lies the opportunity.
When systems fall apart, there’s room for new ones to be built, ones that serve creators and audiences better. That, to me, is the hopeful side of this “Mad Max era.” Yes, the old rules are crumbling… but maybe that’s exactly what needed to happen.
Go Read the Full Article — It’s Worth Your Time
If you’re a musician, filmmaker, artist, writer, or just someone who consumes content and feels a little overwhelmed by it all, I really recommend checking out the full piece: Welcome to Entertainment’s Mad Max Era – Here’s Where It Leads
It’ll make you think. Maybe even rethink.
And if it stirs something in you, shoot me a message. I’d love to know what you reckon: Are we all just trying to outrun the chaos, or is there a better path waiting to be built?
