Firstly, is the issue of artist compensation. With each stream paying artists about $0.004 on average, many listeners feel that there are other ways to support their favourite musicians. Alongside the fact that artist must have 1000 minimum streams in the past 12 months, it makes the platform quite unappealing for emerging talent, especially when compared to Apple music, which has no minimum number of streams and pays a much more generous $0.01 per stream (2.5x more than Spotify). This has led to lots of people questioning if their subscription could be better placed elsewhere and, in the past, many large artists such as Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Taylor Swift have pulled their songs from the platform for this very reason.
As we all know, AI is a massively controversial subject, and Spotify is not spared from the controversy. The Spotify DJ uses the listeners data to create a personalised playlist, and then generative AI narrates this for you. Some people see this as a revolutionary new way to listen to music as it can help take away the effort of making your own playlist, something that others see as a creative outlet. This use of generative AI is something that many listeners find off-putting and a reason to part ways with the service.
This use of generative AI is something that many listeners find off-putting and a reason to part ways with the service
Whilst on the topic of AI, the CEO of Spotify Daniel Ek has investment ties to the AI defence company Helsing that is known to have a role is Russia’s war on Ukraine. Many artists have recently removed their songs from the platform in opposition to this in hopes that users of the platform will follow.
With physical media making a big comeback, platforms such as Spotify are at threat of declining user numbers. Despite the huge library of music that can be accessed at the click of a button, many are reverting back to vinyl, CDs, and cassettes in favour of actually being able to own the music and access it without paying a monthly subscription fee. The sound quality from CDs and vinyl is also another huge factor in the switch from Spotify and is known to offer a more immersive experience.
The audio quality on Spotify is another cause for debate with many claiming that Apple music offers much higher quality along with a friendlier interface- another factor pulling people away from Spotify and its confusing and cluttered layout. The integration of Apple music within with Apple ecosystem is again, one more thing giving it the upper hand over Spotify
As a long-term Spotify user, I do feel like a bit of a hypocrite writing this, but I will definitely reconsider my choice of streaming option. Maybe the convenience of having the same account for years is something I might have to overcome.