Insights · April 24th, 2024
I never really loved The White Stripes, or Jack White for that matter. Then, back in 2019 I traveled to Detroit with my partner and walked into Third Man Records. A place for celebrating the heritage of music, the musical art, and the craft of recording – sometimes direct to acetate from their live stage. I dove into the records they publish, traveled to Nashville and London to see their stores, and bought their records.
Jack White performs the United States’ National Anthem
Jack White – and his work with The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather – is a bonafide modern futurist – one foot in the past, stomping in the present and ringing our intention through the ages ahead. Here is a number of impacts Jack White has had on our world – somewhere that needs better music than ever before.
- Innovation in Music Production and Sound: Jack White has consistently pushed the boundaries of music production with a commitment to old styles of play and production inflected with new technologies. He has a love for reviving vintage equipment and techniques, merging them with contemporary music styles.
- Third Man Records: His record label is a foundation for his vision. The label is known for using unique analog equipment in the digital age, which sets it apart in a music industry dominated by digital recording and streaming. Moreover, Third Man Records has experimented with novel music formats and special vinyl releases (like the liquid-filled vinyl), which mix nostalgia with innovation.
- Advocacy for Artistic Integrity and Quality: Jack White has been a vocal advocate for high-quality music production standards and has criticized the over-commodification and quality loss in music due to modern digital formats. His focus on vinyl as a superior sound medium is both a nod to audiophile communities and a forward-thinking stance on consumer experience in music.
I want to be part of the resurgence of things that are tangible, beautiful and soulful, rather than just give in to the digital age. But when I talk to people about this they just say, ‘Yeah, I know what you mean,’ and stare at their mobiles.
Jack White
- Cross-disciplinary Collaborations: White’s various collaborations across different art forms and industries—such as his work in film music, appearances in movies, and collaborations with artists from different musical genres—illustrate a futurist’s approach to creativity, seeing no boundaries in artistic expression.
- Education and Preservation: Through Third Man Books (a publishing arm of his record label) and the archiving of historical recordings, White demonstrates a real commitment to preserving cultural heritage while making it relevant for future generations.
Jack White Interviewed by Zane Lowe
Article image by Bill Ebbesen under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.
About Nikolas Badminton
Nikolas Badminton is a world-renowned futurist speaker, consultant, award-winning author, media producer, and executive advisor that has spoken to, and worked with, over 400 of the world’s most impactful organizations and governments.
He helps shape the visions that shape impactful organizations, trillion-dollar companies, progressive governments, and 850+ billion dollar investment funds.
Nikolas Badminton’s book Facing Our Futures: How Foresight, Futures Design and Strategy Creates Prosperity and Growth was named Top-50 Business Books of 2023 by The Next Big Idea Club, and selected for 2023 J.P. Morgan Summer Reading List, and featured as the ‘Next Gen Pick’ to inform the next generation of thinkers that lead us into our futures.Reach out to Nikolas to discuss having him come and speak at your event or board retreat – click here.
