Welcome to the era of only Spotify Plays matter - let's take a look at the underbelly of streaming scams affecting independent artists.Become a Patron ► http...

Welcome to the era of only Spotify Plays matter - let’s take a look at the underbelly of streaming scams affecting independent artists.

  • aesthelete@lemmy.worldEnglish
    421·
    6 months ago

    Eh, I switched back to running my own server like five years ago. Sure, technically I’m not giving individual artists their $0.0005 a stream, but nowadays I discover more music, attend more shows, and buy more merch.

    During the couple of years I spent streaming, I discovered like Alvvays and Yumi Zouma. Nowadays, I discover new bands monthly if not weekly.

    Like AI, streaming recommendation engines are mediocrity machines. All they can do is find you things that sound like the things you already listen to. Sometimes, if you’re adventurous, you find things you love that sound unlike anything else you listen to. If you find a great thing like that, it can change you. Unlike recommendation engine music, which will try to keep you the same forever.

    • Coldcell@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      20·
      6 months ago

      What’s your discovery means now? How do you get exposed to things not currently in your wheelhouse? And once you find that thing, how do you integrate that into your library for listening on an often enough basis?

      I find that I binge explore, grab 12 new artists like an old mix CD and see what sticks, but then feel like a hoarder when it sits unplayed in my library for a year.

        • bent@feddit.dkEnglish
          2·
          6 months ago

          I’ve found a lot of the same as you, listening to albums changed me for the better.

          Just recently I bought the Horizon Forbidden West sound track on Qobuz at a sale, paid less than 1 Euro per hour. Its weird, I don’t pay attention to the music while playing the game, but listening to the soundtrack almost take me into that world.

            • bent@feddit.dkEnglish
              2·
              6 months ago

              Totally agree! On the other hand I have this whole universe of albums to learn to appreciate now! I’m also getting away from traditional social media, the 24-hour news cycle, porn etc and I find that just sitting down and listen to music and let my mind wander to be an amazing experience. Would recommend to literally anyone

      • rozodru@piefed.socialEnglish
        2·
        6 months ago

        can’t speak for OP but for me, surprisingly, youtube shorts. Once that damn thing gets your algo figured out for you suddenly you can start finding bands that are in your wheelhouse. Start by looking for shorts on your current favourite bands and eventually new stuff will start popping up that should be similar to your taste.

        Honestly for all the crap that’s on youtube, shorts has been one of if not the best tool for me to find new music/bands. Once I find something I like then it’s off to SoulSeek/Nicotine+ to add it to my server.