What I didn’t go into depths to describe is that the vast majority of their money goes to big labels and several big artists

Yes, that’s how the algo works, unfortunately most people have no taste in music, if the people suddenly decide that avant garde orchestral metal is popular, then those artists will make more money as their plays and share of the pie goes up

So, they continue to give most artists, especially small/new artists next to nothing, exploiting them.

Welcome to the music industry ;)

Published June 14, 2000 7:02PM (EDT)

So their profit is $6.6 million; the band may as well be working at a 7-Eleven.

https://www.salon.com/2000/06/14/love_7/

That said this is a very specific argument to make, you said

Spotify’s whole business model is exploitation.

Now you’re saying, yes many people make lots of money and I saw no disagreement that the music industry raking in 10 billion in a year benefits from Spotify BUT new and non-popular artists find it tough to make money and that’s exploitation

In 2024, More Music Is Released in a Single Day Now Than in All of 1989

The algorithm is simple, the more listens you get, the bigger the pie you have, the more you get paid.

The reality is that small/new artists are now competing in a field that is flooded, it’s hard to complain of exploitation if you are simply trying to swim in an ocean and finding it difficult

It sucks but this is life in the 21st century with computers, it’s also not going to get better with AI allowing people who can’t work photoshop to make pictures and people who can’t work logic pro to make music

I also give Spotify credit for music discovery: https://aussie.zone/post/19441027/16055498

It has never been easier for people to go outside the box and discover new music, it’s just a shame most people don’t