Spotify - anyone heard of it?

Yay Spotify managed to make legal music piracy have an 80%+ market share, of which they have a near monopoly, while also making it almost impossible for the (relative) middle-class non-hobbyist musician to survive by requiring 4,000+ streams to get paid the equivalent of one $12 album sale. And yet with that stranglehold on listeners and artists, they supposedly can't even turn a profit (gee, make music worth nearly zero, and can't squeeze a profit out of that) and as such is firing another 1,500 (17% of the company) as the third round of layoffs this year. All while funneling $100,000,000+ to military tech.

These techno-wizard libertarians really are the fucking best, thank god they saved music from antiquated concepts.

But hey fuck all that, my Spotify Wrapped was dope, it's like they really get me, man.

hey don't forget the $100,000,000 to idiot racist podcasters

Anyway, hope your job's safe with all the cuts, glenn.

by requiring 4,000+ streams to get paid the equivalent of one $12 album sale
this seems a bit unfair in that with a normal deal artists would probably receive somewhere around 10% of the albums sales price

Well, given the existence (till the techbros destroy it) of Bandcamp, it's not *that* unfair. But ok--say it "only" takes 400 streams (or say, 40 full play-throughs of a ten-track album) to make your fraction (split with label, bandmates, producers, etc.) of the $1.20 you apparently would've made in the old days...

The math still equals "completely fucked" and legalized piracy by the techfucks.

Sure, I agree

perhaps inevitable that the price of digital music distribution would to some extent reflect the cost - and sharing digital files is basically free (compared to producing and distributing cds) and something that requires litte/no expertise

I mean, no one was ever buying CDs or records as expensive coasters. The value, generally, wasn't in the object per se, but in the art (or if we must, the "intellectual property").

Techbros said, whoa, we can cut out the physical costs, sweet. And then they said, oh, and the IP is worth literal microfractions of a penny.

And then they made listeners, to whom all of this was how sausage was made, believe the fair price for music was basically zero (or maybe $6.99 all-you-can-eat or whatever they charge).

And then via bullshit like Spotify Wrapped™ and other propaganda they made people feel warm and fuzzy about their (almost literally worthless to the artists unless they were Taylor Swift or Beyonce) "love" and "fandom" of artists.

So the relative supposed cost savings of streaming vs physical media is hardly the explanation for the theft from artists. (And, streaming ultimately uses more natural resources than a CD...)

i am forever grateful for posts like Soundslike’s. The apathy and bizarre defense of verifiable corporate swindling around Spotify is mindblowing to me.

If a fast food or retail chain exploited workers as egregiously and as unapologetically as Spotify does, people would be in the streets burning cars

And then they made listeners, to whom all of this was how sausage was made, believe the fair price for music was basically zero (or maybe $6.99 all-you-can-eat or whatever they charge).

This idea of fair price was set long before Spotify showed up. How many of the hundreds of albums most of us heard between say, 2005 and 2010 were actually purchased?

Funny you should ask about my job. Everything I said above still holds, and now you can trust me on that.

Legit sorry to hear that, glenn. Terrible time of year for this sort of thing to happen, too. I'm not sure I know too many people right now whose employment isn't precarious. I hope you find something else soon, and also hope you can enjoy the silver lining of getting a few weeks rest and hopefully a severance package

Xp I think we forget that streaming and downloading was considered the “solution” to the Napster era when no one was getting paid and physical media sales collapsed. Of course with streaming it ended up the tech people and the record companies of course took care of themselves first, which is the problem, especially now that no one buys downloads except us weirdos.

xpost to Glenn, you were the first (only) person I thought of when I saw the news, sorry to hear.

Oh I'm really sorry to hear that, Glenn.

Adding to the chorus – sorry & hang in there, Glenn... hope you're in a good position to unplug & unwind over the holidays, and start the new year fresh.

:( that sucks glenn and I'm sorry to hear it

Here’s to getting a new gig soon, glenn.

best of luck in finding something new, Glenn.

Best of luck, Glenn.

Hope Glenn finds another job as satisfyingly suited to his skills and interests, or at least better enjoys posting on ILX for a while

This idea of fair price was set long before Spotify showed up. How many of the hundreds of albums most of us heard between say, 2005 and 2010 were actually purchased?

Hundreds tbh.

Well there you go. Piracy nbd.

right question, wrong audience

sorry to hear that glenn, I'm sure you'll work wonders somewhere else

otm corrs. discrepancies about the format aside, you're an asset wherever you end up glenn.

(pls keep posting on ilm)

Sorry to hear it Glenn. All the best.

yep, best of luck glenn.

Very sorry to hear this Glenn, I hope we've all appreciated your insight and assistance itt. Really above and beyond.

^ echoing this!

Really sorry to hear this Glenn.

Wishing you all the very best, Glenn. I've always valued your contributions to this thread. Your employers are silly sausages to be letting you go.

Echoing all the well wishes Glenn. Hopefully once the dust has settled you'll be in a better place and can spill the tea if you feel so inclined (and/or are legally able to).

I read how it went down, getting an email from HR "within two hours" of Ek sending an email. Really impeccable bedside manner there, right before Xmas as well

Unless you've been like reheating fish lunches in the office microwave it seems insane they would let someone with your obvious passion and skills go Glenn

Best wishes Glenn

Good luck Glenn, you have been valuable here.

so so sorry to hear this glenn. hope you're able to find a new gig soon and that you are able to keep everynoise archived at least.

That’s some bullshit Glenn, I’m sorry.

I'm so sorry, Glenn. Thank you for all the help you've offered us over the years and best of luck with your next gig.

Looks like Glenn's book can be pre-ordered on Amazon ahead of its June release - You Have Not Yet Heard Your Favourite Song: How Streaming Changes Music Kindle Edition. Count me in...

I didn't know Glenn was writing a book, I look forward to reading that. Although, I wonder if the description on the cover of him as "Spotify's data alchemist" will be changed now. Commiserations Glenn, I love everynoise and use it a lot. I saw the note on your blog and I really hope it doesn't disappear, you've put too much work into it.

Joining the chorus of appreciation for Glenn's efforts here over the years, and hoping something better's ahead.

A lot more than just the cover will have to be changed. But at least this happened in time for that.

wtf are they doing, is my next year's favourite genre going to be just "pop"? No fun. Might switch to some other thing. Interested to hear where you get from here Glenn. Sorry.

Good luck glenn

Glenn, so sorry. I do hope we can look forward to further feats of music data alchemy!

Sorry to hear it glenn; sent you a PM

stet’s gonna hook you up with a lifetime supply of Zing Touch.

just came here from the furia blog - sorry to hear that glenn, ENAO was fantastic. sucks, especially with that book coming out. ingrates. good luck with whatever you do next.

You elevated them Glenn. Excited to see wherever you go next.