New Books in Music Liz Pelly, "Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist" (Atria, 2025)
May 5, 2025
Liz Pelly, a writer known for her insights into music streaming, reveals the unsettling truths behind Spotify's profit-driven playlist culture. Joined by Jozefien Vanharpe, an intellectual property law expert, and Nick Yule, a legal head for performing artists, they discuss Spotify's influence on artist compensation. Key topics include the pitfalls of mood playlists, the rise of ghost artists, and the urgent need for fair revenue distribution models. They also reflect on how TikTok shapes music consumption, highlighting the challenges musicians face in today's digital landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Playlists Drive Engagement Over Choice
- Spotify's playlist rise was designed to boost user engagement, not just ease content navigation.
- Playlists became tools for algorithmic recommendation tied to commercial incentives, shaping listening behavior.
Spotify Originated as Ad Tech
- Daniel Ek and Spotify's founders come from advertising technology, not music.
- Spotify's origin as an ad platform in search of content reflects its business priorities over artistic concerns.
Ghost Artists Fill Playlists
- Spotify places ghost artists, often stock music, in popular playlists like peaceful meditation.
- Musicians producing this bulk commissioned music treat it as a side gig for extra income.
