“Ek’s saying that musicians need to look at themselves less as artists and more as content creators. We have no muse to serve but the marketplace, and without adhering to the rapid 💓 rate that is Spotify’s demand for new food for their algorithm, our careers are bound to perish”
Let’s flip Spotify’s words:
“some streaming services that used to do well in the past may not do well in this future landscape, where you can't a (re)launch new groundbreaking music platform once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough.” @eldsjal
“some streaming services that used to do well in the past may not do well in this future landscape, where you can't a (re)launch new groundbreaking music platform once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough.” @eldsjal
"The streaming services today that are making it, realise that it's about creating a continuous engagement with their fans.
It is about putting the work in, about the storytelling around the service, and about keeping a continuous dialogue with your fans"
👀 @Spotify 🤷♂️
It is about putting the work in, about the storytelling around the service, and about keeping a continuous dialogue with your fans"
👀 @Spotify 🤷♂️
What’s the point of flipping these quotes from Spotify’s founder?
Think about how little their product has evolved and innovated. They added third party apps then removed them. Discover weekly? Your annual stats?! Erm... what else?
And what “dialogue” do they have?
Think about how little their product has evolved and innovated. They added third party apps then removed them. Discover weekly? Your annual stats?! Erm... what else?
And what “dialogue” do they have?
Storytelling and giving music context is indeed crucial.
Music journalism has been helping to do this for decades.
However, acts can’t even tell their story on Spotify’s platform like they could on Apple’s short-lived Ping.
Music journalism has been helping to do this for decades.
However, acts can’t even tell their story on Spotify’s platform like they could on Apple’s short-lived Ping.
Spotify opened their door to curators like us to make playlists (we even did this for their blog) and then hired an internal team to make playlists and stopped promoting 3rd party playlists.
Now most of their playlists are made by algorithms or augmented using AI to compile them
Now most of their playlists are made by algorithms or augmented using AI to compile them
Where are the tools for acts?
Even @lastfm allowed you to pay to promote plays of a track to a relevant audience.
Why can’t you spend a small fee on Spotify to reach potential fans rather than spending money on ads on Facebook where people aren’t necessarily looking for music?
Even @lastfm allowed you to pay to promote plays of a track to a relevant audience.
Why can’t you spend a small fee on Spotify to reach potential fans rather than spending money on ads on Facebook where people aren’t necessarily looking for music?
If you’re an artist releasing music, it’s hard to have a dialogue with streaming services and to get clarity of how to give your music the best chance of surfacing.
Even distributors are limited in what they can do with these monolithic platforms vs traditional record shops.
Even distributors are limited in what they can do with these monolithic platforms vs traditional record shops.
Streaming services have a huge platform with the potential to thrill music lovers and help acts tell their stories like they did with the ailing music press.
However, most of what’s to the fore of their “product” and social channels is far from a “continuous dialogue”.
However, most of what’s to the fore of their “product” and social channels is far from a “continuous dialogue”.
When you compare the editorial created by @Bandcamp and the to-the-very-fore recommendations of @myspacetom-era MySpace that helped to birth a new breed of global stars, or how radio is still key to breaking acts, Ek’s denouncements fall quite flat and has felt like trolling acts
Tbf, Spotify did employ the brilliant @jesshopp and made a documentary about *checks notes* U2 billboard.com/articles/colum…
It’s not that streaming platforms need to break acts.
It’s not that streaming platforms need the knowledge drop of a record shops’ staff recommends rack.
It’s not that streaming platforms social channels should brim with the passion of a fanzine or online forum.
BUT they could
It’s not that streaming platforms need the knowledge drop of a record shops’ staff recommends rack.
It’s not that streaming platforms social channels should brim with the passion of a fanzine or online forum.
BUT they could
If you’re going to tell artists who are weathering not just the slow transition of an entire feet-dragging industry but the collapse of the live income they’ve come to rely on, to essentially do more and do it better, without a hint of compassion, you’re no better than a troll.
If Spotify founder Daniel Ek is truly interested in a “continuous dialogue” why hasn’t he been replying to the reaction to his seemingly ill-judged comments?
Even doubling down on what he’s said and expanding on the logic with practical examples would be a start.
Even doubling down on what he’s said and expanding on the logic with practical examples would be a start.
Billionaires being beaten up in the court of public opinion won’t resolve or progress anything
Streaming is the future and it NEEDS to work for everyone not just the top 0.001% of acts.
✊ We urge you to support the #fixstreaming movement and @MrTomGray’s #BrokenRecord campaign
Streaming is the future and it NEEDS to work for everyone not just the top 0.001% of acts.
✊ We urge you to support the #fixstreaming movement and @MrTomGray’s #BrokenRecord campaign
Music is a fragile ecosystem.
Even more fragile than some musicians’ egos.
Every fraction of a penny that isn’t going to artists and those who invest their time, money and passion into them, is draining the swamp of creativity.
Even more fragile than some musicians’ egos.
Every fraction of a penny that isn’t going to artists and those who invest their time, money and passion into them, is draining the swamp of creativity.
Some see corporations as a leech on artistry. Sometimes that’s true.
Mostly music is a terrible investment. Success is often down to luck & timing as much as skill & hard work.
Music enriches our lives in ways that are impossible to quantify. That’s why people “invest” in it.
Mostly music is a terrible investment. Success is often down to luck & timing as much as skill & hard work.
Music enriches our lives in ways that are impossible to quantify. That’s why people “invest” in it.
Some people quietly invest their entire life into music and the arts.
Some of these people were able to do this and just about get by...
Or to do it alongside an unrelated 9-5. These people with “expensive hobbies” (promoting gigs, releasing music) often prop up the music biz.
Some of these people were able to do this and just about get by...
Or to do it alongside an unrelated 9-5. These people with “expensive hobbies” (promoting gigs, releasing music) often prop up the music biz.
Most of the time musicians are self-sufficient and self-funding their entire career. Working two or more jobs to pay for gear and record and rehearsals and van hire to play festivals and support slots for tiny fees.
Streaming & social-distancing has seen their income implode.
Streaming & social-distancing has seen their income implode.
Back in 2012, even an act at the level of perceived “success” of Grizzly Bear were struggling to survive.
Imagine how much worse this is now... then add coronavirus cancelling live income and an economic crash vulture.com/2012/09/grizzl…
Imagine how much worse this is now... then add coronavirus cancelling live income and an economic crash vulture.com/2012/09/grizzl…
For music to be able to touch us, to inspire, to cocoon, to soundtrack our best days, to heal us at our worst moments... it needs money in the ecosystem, flowing to the acts or those managers, labels, publishers, grassroots venues and others who invest time and money in them.
In other news...
You can support the acts you love by donating (PayPal & Patreon are making bank!), buying merch or simply telling their story on your social platforms...
And it’s another zero-commission #BandcampFriday this week.
You can support the acts you love by donating (PayPal & Patreon are making bank!), buying merch or simply telling their story on your social platforms...
And it’s another zero-commission #BandcampFriday this week.
You can and should also support your local record shop, get behind campaigns like @musicvenuetrust #LetTheMusicPlay and #SaveOurStages to support our live venues (crucial to artist development as well as income!) and please suggest more campaigns below. 👇
We don’t have a SoundCloud to promote so why not subscribe to our Best of 2020 playlist on Spotify because regardless of all the above we love using the platform and sharing music we love with you open.spotify.com/playlist/5GJ1Z…
Got an idea to #FixStreaming?
Join the conversation on our forums community.drownedinsound.com/t/how-would-yo…
Join the conversation on our forums community.drownedinsound.com/t/how-would-yo…
