3 ms·

I'm not typically one to buy into conspiracy theories, but I really can't help but wonder if the Spotify algorithm favors songs that have more favorable licensi

by eli 6y ago

I'm not typically one to buy into conspiracy theories, but I really can't help but wonder if the Spotify algorithm favors songs that have more favorable licensing terms. They have already announced they intend to let artists buy their way into playlists in the future https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/could-spotifys-new-discovery-mode-be-considered-payola/ https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/could-spotifys-new-discovery-...

rapnie 6y ago
I had exactly the same feeling. The daily recommendations contain 80% from albums I've either already downloaded or liked (or auto-liked, which was also a very annoying thing I had for a while). The remaining 20% is recommendations of different songs of the same artists mostly. With New releases it is different. If I ever play, say, a song someone else sent me to listen to in a different genre, then it screws up my recommendations here for months, sometimes forever.
cmehdy 6y ago
Two years ago they were already shoving Drake all over paid subscribers' playlists[0] I've paid for spotify for more than a decade and I definitely wasn't pleased to have every single playlist recommending an artist I don't like, and it was just ridiculous how EVERY[1] playlist had his photo regardless of the genre. [0] https://exclaim.ca/music/article/drakes_face_was_all_over_spotify_and_paid_subscribers_are_upset https://exclaim.ca/music/article/drakes_face_was_all_over_sp... [1] https://twitter.com/DanieleRose22/status/1013845491757568000 https://twitter.com/DanieleRose22/status/1013845491757568000
numpad0 6y ago
I think that is the case for every freemium services and social networks: they (must) reward and optimize users for profitability.
runT1ME 6y ago
I'm surprised that they haven't taken a page out of Netflix's book: sign small artists that sound close enough to what's popular to their own internal record label and push them in playlists?
- sincerely 6y ago
  Oh they already do that :) https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-denies-its-playlisting-fake-artists-so-why-are-all-these-fake-artists-on-its-playlists/ https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-denies-its-pl... https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/spotify-denies-creating-fake-artists-although-multiple-sources-claim-the-practice-is-real-1202492307/ https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/spotify-denies-creating-fa...
namenotrequired 6y ago
That doesnt require a conspiracy (really hard), just an imperfect incentive structure (really easy)
gcpwnd 6y ago
Don't wonder. Just be realistic. Did you ever work in an IT business environment? Remember the situations when good taste slowly morphed into business interests? Yeah, that's natural in a capitalist environment. By no chance spotify dodged that bullet. Positivity and goodwill is fine but don't spare anyone from corruption.

by eli 6y ago

rapnie 6y ago

I had exactly the same feeling. The daily recommendations contain 80% from albums I've either already downloaded or liked (or auto-liked, which was also a very annoying thing I had for a while). The remaining 20% is recommendations of different songs of the same artists mostly. With New releases it is different. If I ever play, say, a song someone else sent me to listen to in a different genre, then it screws up my recommendations here for months, sometimes forever.

cmehdy 6y ago

Two years ago they were already shoving Drake all over paid subscribers' playlists[0] I've paid for spotify for more than a decade and I definitely wasn't pleased to have every single playlist recommending an artist I don't like, and it was just ridiculous how EVERY[1] playlist had his photo regardless of the genre. [0] https://exclaim.ca/music/article/drakes_face_was_all_over_spotify_and_paid_subscribers_are_upset https://exclaim.ca/music/article/drakes_face_was_all_over_sp... [1] https://twitter.com/DanieleRose22/status/1013845491757568000 https://twitter.com/DanieleRose22/status/1013845491757568000

numpad0 6y ago

I think that is the case for every freemium services and social networks: they (must) reward and optimize users for profitability.

runT1ME 6y ago

I'm surprised that they haven't taken a page out of Netflix's book: sign small artists that sound close enough to what's popular to their own internal record label and push them in playlists?

sincerely 6y ago
Oh they already do that :) https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-denies-its-playlisting-fake-artists-so-why-are-all-these-fake-artists-on-its-playlists/ https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-denies-its-pl... https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/spotify-denies-creating-fake-artists-although-multiple-sources-claim-the-practice-is-real-1202492307/ https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/spotify-denies-creating-fa...

namenotrequired 6y ago

That doesnt require a conspiracy (really hard), just an imperfect incentive structure (really easy)

gcpwnd 6y ago

Don't wonder. Just be realistic. Did you ever work in an IT business environment? Remember the situations when good taste slowly morphed into business interests? Yeah, that's natural in a capitalist environment. By no chance spotify dodged that bullet. Positivity and goodwill is fine but don't spare anyone from corruption.