Adam Levinter的动态

Back to Spotify because oh boy it’s getting bad. Living legend Reggie Watts is retracting his music and is just flat-out saying it: “F*ck Spotify”. Nice one, Reggs. Liz Pelly wrote Mood Machine and it’s making minced meat of the platform. So I thought it was time to follow up on my story from last time to see what other ways Spotify has conjured up to make money off the backs of the musicians that bring value to the platform. Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild one! In the previous instalment, I mentioned how the big labels basically own the platform and use it to funnel money into their pockets. Taking away money from artists is not enough though. The way they use playlists also diminishes the artist-fan relationship, as they playlists rather than albums so you might never know the original intent of a song as it’s presented on the album. On top of that, they are filling those playlists with cheap music made by ghost artists that please the algorithm and guess who takes the royalties from those tracks. Last time someone checked, Daniel Ek, founder of Spotify,?made 340 million in one year. I am just putting it in here and let you decide what you think of that. Spotify made deals with artists so they would receive less royalties in exchange for more exposure but forgot to tell the listeners that if they listened to those playlists they were supporting, well… that guy I just mentioned, I guess, instead of the artists they were listening to. And then there is a lot of fraud on streaming platforms. People upload hours and hours of music to the platform and then use click farms to boost plays. One guy made $10M in streaming of which $60k came from Spotify. The thing is, we all get paid from the same pot so if Spotify doesn’t care too much for taking on fraud, we all lose. Add the fact that they are allowing a lot of AI crap on the platform too you can see how they are making it harder and harder for artists to make a decent living out of streaming. “So what do we do?”, I hear you ask, my attentive reader. If you want to do something right now. There are two things: Start spending money on music you really love. Go to a record store and buy some black gold or be social and go to a concert. The second is to get away from Spotify and go to TIDAL. They pay a lot more per stream and they offer a similar catalogue. Also, they give you access to the masters which means the best possible sound you can have. Good for you audiophiles out there. In the long term though, I am very optimistic about all the platforms that are popping up and some that are already out there, Bandcamp being the one (for now). I love what SmartLabel is and there is much more on the horizon. Platforms like NEWM, Supercollector, and Subvert are building the future and it looks a lot brighter. Thanks, Liz for pointing everyone in the right direction!

What if the 3 major labels started a music streaming platform for UNKNOWN ARTISTS offering a platform to develope and build from ground up an artist profile and a loyal following. The option to stay indipendent or give away the other 25% and take a 50/50 deal to join a major was available both ways. That platform could charge a fee for NO ADVERTS STREAMING to finance the platform and profits would be shared with the artists 75% to the artists and 25% the platform. That would then keep the industry fueled with hard working future big earning artists and keep the indipendent artists from GIVING UP! Spotify could offer its subscribers access for a discount to also stream the unknowns and add them to their playlists etc there is a crossover and obviously it does the AnR for Spotify and the labels. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek: More revenue than Taylor Swift and Drake together? Daniel Ek: 345 million dollars on Spotify - who can keep up? Daniel Ek has made more money from Spotify in the last twelve months than any other artist on the platform. While artists such as Taylor Swift, Drake and Ed Sheeran have racked up billions of streams on Spotify, Ek’s earnings far outstrip theirs. According to royalty accountant Hunter Giles, Ek has earned a whopping $345 million since July 2023 through the sale of shares. This sum is hypothetically equivalent to 115 billion streams, which would make him the world’s most streamed “artist” – if he were one. Some time ago, there was a huge?shitstorm against the Spotify CEO by artists worldwide?and?electronic music producer Deadmau5. Spotify CEO earns more than top musicians – Daniel Ek beats them all In his latest report, royalty accountant Hunter Giles compares the income of Spotify’s managers with the number of streams that would be required to achieve that level of income. Daniel Ek is, of course, at the top of the list ($345 million, equivalent to around 115 billion streams), followed by Martin Lorentzon, Spotify’s co-founder, whose share is estimated at $166.8 million, equivalent to 55.6 billion streams. This would hypothetically make Lorentzon the ninth most streamed artist on the Spotify streaming platform. Alex Norstr?m, Co-President of Spotify, is the 185th most streamed artist of all time with an estimated value of $26.4 million and 8.8 billion streams. Read more

Spotify's recent update has to be the worst of 2024. Here is everything you need to know. Recently, Spotify decided to ban all mods. Because of this, all the existing mods (non-legal ad-free versions of Spotify) stopped working with the message "You discovered a premium feature". In short, mods and VPNs don't work, forcing users to listen to the free version of Spotify with interrupting ads that ironically say "Want uninterrupted music from the ads?" But how did they pull this off? Spotify tracks the user's account for activity and checks the API key to see if it is the official version. If the user's activity follows an unusual pattern of not having any ads, Spotify will send a message "You discovered a premium feature." Spotify even went a step further by sending cease and desist letters to websites that do illegal mod using their API key. But why did they do this? One word - "Revenue" Spotify wants to bombard free users with ads but can't do it if they use mods. What was frustrating is, that targets mobile users more than PCs. I tried using Spotify in my mobile browser and you can't do the basic functions forcing you to download the app. What can you do now? Step 1: Switch to alternative music providers like Apple Music or YouTube Music and pay for it but if you are like "Hell Nah!!" read Step 2. Do it at your own risk because it's illegal. Step 2: Switch to Spotube (it is buggy) an open-source version of Spotify or listen to Spotify in the Brave browser on the laptop to block all the ads. Step 3: Use plugins like Sponsorblock to silence most of the ads (it didn't personally work for me) Step 4: Use Opensource apps that use YouTube clients to get ad-free music - some popular apps include NewPipe and RiMusic which you can download from F-droid. Forcing people to listen to ad-riddled music or paying for music is like.. asking 30-year-olds to play as a teen in a Teen Wolf movie. It just doesn't look good. What's your opinion? Do you think Spotify will change or will it even become a bigger cash grab in the future?

2024 Spotify Wrapped is here and… it was a miss? Spotify Wrapped has been one of the key features of this gargantuan streaming platform, and one of the major ways it differentiates itself from key competitors like Apple Music. As a Spotify purist, I’ve always kept my eyes peeled for this end of year wrap-up that includes user insights about our artists and genres most listened to. The feature lets users be retrospective and see how their tastes changed over the months. This year’s Wrapped has been met with major criticism as being too simplistic, and Rolling Stone (in the article linked below) even compares it to “getting socks for Christmas.” It was generic and lacked its usual charm, which lied within its personalization for each individual user. Luckily, I had saved my 2023 Wrapped, so here’s an analysis of what changed: - Missing metrics ?? In 2023 they included which month we listened to our Top 5 artists the most. Location where the artists were from was another personal favorite I looked forward to, as someone that engaged with a lot of international music outside of mainstream American pop. - Missing personalized elements ??♀? The Aura card was a fan favorite missing from this year’s Wrapped Deck. This portion was meant to identify artists into a niche demographic to make the Wrapped more personalized; last year I was a “Time Traveler” for listening to a lot of older music. - Missing visual appeal ?? There was limited visual variety in each “story”, whether in animation, color palettes, or visual elements. Users on social media have taken to theorizing what caused these changes. They have speculated a data breach such that Spotify lost some of the user data, or that significant layoffs at the end of 2024, coupled with over-reliance on artificial intelligence may be the culprit. What do you think happened? Will Spotify take adequate steps to make a Wrapped next year that lives up to the users’ expectations? https://lnkd.in/gRJBxsmA

Spotify (co-founder Daniel Ek) redefined music. He didn’t just disrupt the industry. He changed how we listen. The 6 key moments in Spotify’s rise, and what you can learn from them: 1) 2006: The idea sparked. ? Frustrated by music piracy, Daniel and Martin Lorentzon envisioned a legal, affordable platform to combat it. ? They saw an opportunity where others saw a problem. 2) 2007: Building the foundation. ? Spotify was built in just four months, followed by a year-long closed beta to refine the platform. ? Rapid development and constant iteration were key. 3) 2008: Official launch in Sweden. ? Spotify launched with free, ad-supported streaming and premium subscriptions. ? They balanced accessibility with a viable business model. 4) 2011: Expansion to the US. ? Secured deals with major record labels, overcoming industry skepticism. ? Relentless negotiation and proving value were crucial. 5) 2018: Going public. ? Spotify went public with a $30 billion valuation, solidifying its dominance. ? Visionary problem-solving and strategic growth paid off. 6) 2023: Leading the industry. ? With over 550 million users, Spotify continues to innovate with podcasts, audiobooks, and AI-powered personalization. ? Empowering innovation and staying customer-focused are essential. Lessons from Daniel Ek’s journey: ?? Create win-win solutions for consumers and industries. ?? Build systems that foster creativity and agility. ?? Stay customer-focused to remain relevant. Spotify’s success isn’t just about music. It’s about rethinking how we access and enjoy content. Daniel Ek’s vision has reshaped global culture. Have you checked your Spotify Wrapped yet? (Spoiler: It’s a glimpse of how Spotify continues to lead the way in innovation!) P.S. Mine? Lots of Jagjit Singh’s Ghazals, Spiritual Bhajans, and a bit of the latest Bollywood songs! (Every Monday, I share success stories of founders to inspire you to keep pushing forward. Let’s keep building!)

Spotify is having a moment. Every year, I am blown away by their ability to bring their community together through a shared love of music and playlist curation through their "Spotify Wrapped" series. I think it's their most valuable asset as a brand - creating an experience that thrills their subscribers, builds FOMO for non-users, and has spurned a chase effect for their music streaming competitors to do something similar (but not better... yet!) It's also a social media viral tool that adds incredible extension to Spotify's larger marketing program - endlessly valuable in added value impressions and exposure. What's crazy is that it's not just the Spotify OGs/loyalists that are posting about their Wrapped - it's the average everyday listener that wants to be a part of the moment. Not only that, but it's no secret that Spotify is finally figuring out their profitability model, with some sources anticipating a whopping $1.5 BILLION operating profit which would mark their first full year as a profitable company. Spotify turning a profit wasn't even a part of the conversation in the not-so-distant history of the company. A couple lessons for the rest of us to mull over. - People come to brands for EXPERIENCES, things that go beyond the product itself. Spotify Wrapped works as Spotify's best marketing tool because it brings their very best user experiences together - playlist building, big data consumer-friendly insights, and the wacky & mystical branding that has come to define Spotify. - Be the FIRST to build the BEST product, and let everyone come chase you down while you innovate and refine the product. There's so much talk about Amazon Music, Apple Music, etc. but let's be clear - Spotify brought so much to the party in terms of the music streaming game FIRST and they will forever own that narrative. - Don't be afraid to optimize and fix things based on consumer demand. Consumers are uniquely drawn to brands that can evolve and be responsive to feedback, rather than companies who stagnate because of ego. The Spotify UX has changed a lot over the years, and has introduced so many products that go way beyond just music - maturing the podcast market, the audiobook space, and realtime news updates. Creating trends in collaboration with their partners and consumers. Although I was a little disappointed that Kendrick Lamar did not make my top artists, what a fun year of being a subscriber to Spotify and an observer of their relentless growth - with tons of lessons to be learned by this extremely impressive company.

Spotify Adjusts Lyrics Access, Pushes Free Users Towards Premium Subscriptions In a strategic move aimed at enticing more users to upgrade to its Premium subscription, Spotify has begun limiting access to lyrics for its free-tier users. Recent reports reveal that some free Spotify users have encountered a "monthly limit" on accessing lyrics, with full access now reserved for Premium subscribers. While Spotify has refrained from directly addressing this change, the company vaguely mentioned that features may gradually vary across different devices and markets. This adjustment comes on the heels of testing conducted by Spotify last fall, as noted by TechCrunch. The exact extent of this limitation and its rollout timeline remain unclear. However, the underlying motive is apparent – by introducing a cap on lyrics access, Spotify aims to incentivize more users to opt for its Premium offering. Despite boasting a substantial user base, with over 236 million paid users as of the latest quarter, Spotify's revenue fell slightly short of expectations for investment analysts. The implementation of this lyrics strategy could serve as a catalyst for driving up memberships and subsequently bolstering revenue, even if the overall listener base experiences gradual growth. Nevertheless, the efficacy of throttling lyrics access on Spotify remains uncertain. With alternative avenues readily available, such as web searches and other music apps, users may find it convenient to circumvent this restriction. Moreover, the introduction of a pay-to-read feature risks alienating some users, potentially prompting them to explore competitor platforms like Apple Music. In conclusion, while Spotify's move to limit lyrics access for free users represents a strategic effort to boost Premium subscriptions and revenue, its long-term impact on user retention and satisfaction remains to be seen. As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, Spotify must strike a delicate balance between monetization strategies and user experience to maintain its competitive edge in the market. https://lnkd.in/e5czkJy5

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek found himself in hot water recently when he tweeted: “Today, with the cost of creating content being close to zero, people can share an incredible amount of content...” Of course, the reaction from musicians, who create the music that is hosted on Spotify, was swift. They fired back with comments criticizing Ek's statement. They rightfully pointed out that creating music (content) is not "close to zero," but requires years of music lessons, the purchase of gear and software, time to compose, arrange, and perform, and the compensation of fellow musicians who may collaborate on a track. Ek has since clarified his comments and said that his original statement was "clumsy," stating, "Just to clarify - my original point was not to devalue the time, effort, or resources involved in creating meaningful works, whether it’s music, literature, or other forms of creative expression." Ek's original choice of words struck a nerve with artists because they believe that Spotify does not properly compensate them for streaming their tracks. This is a value judgment, of course, but musicians note that they receive micropayments for their streams while Spotify is seeing record profits. Back in 1998, Carl Shapiro and Hal R. Varian's book "Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy" stated that in a world of computers and networks, “Information is costly to produce but cheap to REPRODUCE.” Spotify doesn't make anything. It takes human-created work and allows many people to listen to it at the same time, because it's cheap to REPRODUCE digital content. Shapiro and Varian's statement also applies to generative AI. When you use free programs to generate text or create images, remember that the text or artwork used to train the AI model was created by humans. Even worse than the situation with Spotify, the human creators receive NO compensation. The livelihood of writers and artists are threatened because “Information is costly to produce but cheap to reproduce.” What are we going to do about that?

"As a former Spotify employee once observed, the platform’s only real competitor is silence. Spotify is a library, but it’s also a recommendation service, and its growth is fuelled by this second function, and by the company’s strategies for soundtracking the entirety of our days and nights. Spotify made headway in Europe in the twenty-tens, capitalizing on the major labels’ seeming apathy toward committing to an online presence. It began offering plans to U.S. users in 2011—two paid tiers with no ads and a free one that, as an analyst told the Times that year, was “solidifying a perception that music should be free.” Ek sought partnerships with major labels, some of which still own Spotify stock. Around this time, a source who was then close to the company told Pelly, Spotify commissioned a study tracking the listening habits of a small subset of users and concluded that it could offer a qualitatively different experience than a marketplace like iTunes. By tracking what people wanted to hear at certain hours—from an aggro morning-workout mix to mellow soundscapes for the evening—the service began understanding how listeners used music throughout the day. People even streamed music while they were sleeping." https://lnkd.in/gcAfdP9d