I used a Norwegian open-source tool to analyze my old Spotify data as a customer.
I don't use Spotify anymore, but I can announce that of all the money I ever paid them, approx. 5% went to the artists I listened to.
That is a pretty insane transfer of wealth from the bottom / middle to the top if you ask me.
I already knew Spotify is a big scam for those not at the top, but seeing the numbers still gives me a bodily reaction. 😢
@lislegaard Music and money aside just the idea of feeding Spotify all your info seems a worry.
I have loads of artist friends that whinge about AI whilst being completely addicted to Spotify's algorithm hellscape, they are the problem not some AI jazz noises.
also letting an algorithm decide the music for you is maybe not the best way to have music be a connecting force between humans. anoter space for people to be in their own bubbles instead of shared experiences with their community.
@lislegaard Yeah, it's really extreme ime.
Even in selfhosted land people arrive with "But how on earth can you find new music?" The idea of using 'the internet', other humans, the radio or god forbid a shop seems completely alien.
I left Spotify after a, free, year as the music it kept feeding me was so unfathomably awful I was gonna crash the car....and people actually pay them to fuck artists over for this.
being the neigbour country of sweden we got the propaganda early here in norway. and in the beginning it was all humans curating the playlists + i was listening to albums anyways, so it didn't affect my music listening in the beginning. (money aside)
but enshittification is real, so all those curators got fired and replaced by an algorithm.
reminds me of facebook (and the rest of big tech). great for the users in the beginning, über-evilcorp fucking us over now.
i wrote a blog post about how to find new music btw
https://www.kristofferlislegaard.com/blog/2025-11-05-be-your-own-algorithm-in-search-of-new-music/
@lislegaard Nice, thanks and will have a peek at some of the artists.
About two years ago I set up a signal groupchat called 'Music' with 10 or so friends around the world, and gave some logins for my navidrome server.
The amount of amazing music it's generated, and rabbit holes, is more than I'm able to even vaguely keep on top of.
some cool tunes here:
https://music-republic-world-traditional.blogspot.com/
I made to have a tiny, free, simple, always on streamer for some of them here:
@lislegaard @groot TBH, I don't understand how anyone has a problem finding new muaic. I discover new genres and musicians all the time, and I've never used spotify.
people tell me irl
someone plays a tune at a bar or social centre I go to
I browse (and buy from) bandcamp
I follow music sharing accounts and music lovers on fedi
I listen to radio streams from all over the world
@firn @lislegaard afaiu the issue is often that new music must be fed to them on demand via an algorithm they can just mash 'next' or 'like' on.
But I appreciate your point, it's like worrying about how one will get to see new cats if they delete facebook.
@groot @lislegaard Over the past few years, I've found that the very, very beat way for me to discover new music is by hosting my radio show, where listeners suggest stuff to me all the time that I've never heard before. It's wonderful!
No algorithm, just human connection.
Kristoffer Lislegaard
groot
Graupel
Matt Vestengen-Cox
Dave bauer
DJDarren