Personal DJs, data analytics, genre categorization and beyond
By NEVAEH KARRAKER— nakarraker@ucdavis.edu
On Dec. 4, 2024, Spotify released the long-awaited annual “Spotify Wrapped,” marking the latest release date since 2019. This decision may have been necessary to make time for the collection of artists’ video clips and final specializations. Contrarily, perhaps the company has been drastically impacted by the layoffs of an astounding 1,500 employees at the end of 2023, followed by the departure of Chief Financial Officer Paul Vogel this past March.
Whatever the case, delaying the publication of “Spotify Wrapped” acted as a propaganda technique to maintain users. First of all, when the start of December passed without any updates, many impatiently posted on social media — the relatability of users anxiously awaiting its release cultivated the popularity of the feature.
Yet, when it could finally be accessed, complaints were widely expressed at the peculiar, inaccurate and seemingly random results. For example, there lacked a “genre sandwich” displaying users’ top genres listened to or the total number of different genres. Thus, Spotify managed to reach the public through a form of “negative publicity” — similar to how negative comments on Instagram still end up contributing to an influencer’s profits.
And, after waiting so long for such a disappointing experience, claims were made that the entire feature was generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Artificial Intelligence modifies almost every aspect of the modern world, including education and business enterprises. While some companies like Apple or Amazon can successfully utilize this technology to create a more competitive market, it motivates others to integrate the technology in order to maximize profit and decrease labor costs.
Spotify, for example, applies AI to create personalized “Daylists,” providing users with a DJ and generating music recommendations. Podcasts also seem to be a focus, with AI performing data analytics that would normally take an exhausting amount of time.
Daniel Ek, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Spotify, did admit that the layoffs disrupted performance but insisted it was necessary to counteract the surplus of employment as a result of cheap labor being available during the pandemic. He believed reducing the workforce would improve efficiency and productivity to achieve Spotify’s overall goal.
One person who was unfortunately let go was the data alchemist Glenn McDonald. He and his team were responsible for categorizing Spotify songs into over 6,000 unique genres for “Spotify Wrapped” prior to 2024. After his departure, he lost access to this data, and the system of categorizing newly released songs was discontinued. This is likely why odd genres appeared in this year’s Spotify Wrapped. This is due, in part, to AI’s tendency to categorize music into consumer groups, like “Pink Pilates Princess,” rather than genres that enthusiasts such as McDonald worked so diligently to define.
Spotify’s objective was to create a global creator platform and become the most-used music app, but the price may be the quality of the app itself. As a result, Spotify may lose followers in their attempt to gain more. Hence, with fewer employees, a crumbling economy and advancing technology, what does the future of Spotify look like?
Continuous, large investments in AI are expected with both positive and negative consequences. Spotify will contain unique, fun layouts and users will have further personalized curated recommendations — at the expense of minimizing originality and authenticity. Obviously, there’s the element that a robotic analysis will never compare to the creativity of the human mind.
Additionally, as more people download the app, the budget for compensating artists and showcasing diverse content broadens and yet another crucial concern is raised. Not only may subscription prices rise, but artists will then have significantly more competition against (to simplify it) a robot, as Spotify experiences an inflow of AI-generated music. It seems quite absurd that, in theory, AI would essentially be given a salary regularly earned by humans.
With all that being said, the likelihood of the public deleting Spotify is highly improbable. The amount of monthly active users has only increased exponentially over the years. Sure, it may fluctuate as alterations are made, but the last thing social media users desire is having to adapt to an entirely new platform.
People declare that they detest coffee then gulp it down like apple juice. Enticement is a great weapon of corporations — enticement of social acceptance, familiarity and a distinctive aesthetic.
Spotify represents a widely accessible, universal streaming service that provides exclusive music and user interaction. Despite challenges — from staff reductions to a dip in quality to an influx of AI-generated music — Spotify will continue to guide music platforms regardless of how Artificial Intelligence conceivably affects contemporary music production.
Written by: Nevaeh Karraker—nakarraker@ucdavis.edu
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