KQED's Forum Forum from the Archives: Liz Pelly on Spotify and the ‘Cost of the Perfect Playlist’
Jul 3, 2025
Join writer Liz Pelly, a contributing editor at The Baffler and author of 'Mood Machine', as she unpacks Spotify's backstory. Discover how this once-democratic platform transformed into a major label's playground, sidelining independent artists and fueling ghost artists. Liz delves into the challenges of algorithm-driven playlists, the nostalgia for authentic music discovery, and the financial woes artists face. With insights from industry veterans and her own research, she advocates for a reevaluation of music's value in our streaming-dominated world.
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Spotify's Industry Influence
- Spotify's market dominance shapes incentives for the entire music industry.
- Its features often set trends that other streaming services later adopt.
From Search to Curated Playlists
- Spotify shifted from a search-based model to curated and algorithmic playlists.
- This change aimed to attract mainstream users beyond early adopters.
Major Labels' Dominant Role
- Spotify's streaming model requires major label cooperation due to copyright control.
- Major labels have outsized power and perks, shaping playlist curation and exposure.
