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For decades, radio was the primary destination for music fans to discover new artists and songs. DJs and station programmers played an important role in curation, using their personal tastes to select which new releases would be promoted to listeners. This exposed audiences to a wide range of up-and-coming musicians.
The rise of streaming platforms in the mid-2000s revolutionized how we consume music. Playlists quickly became the modern equivalent of radio, offering vast catalogs of meticulously curated tracks. Independent “tastemakers” and company curators populated these playlists, shaping listeners’ experiences. Fans now turned to playlists, rather than albums, as their main source of new tunes.
However, the reign of human-curated playlists may be coming to an end as artificial intelligence gains ground. In recent years, Spotify has ramped up the development of AI-powered recommendations and tools. Their flagship “DJ Mode” lets users create a unique radio station based on preferences. Meanwhile, algorithmic suggestions expose members to personalized music selections. This appears to be diminishing reliance on editorially curated playlists.
Some industry insiders have witnessed a notable dip in streams from popular playlists. One label reported a 40% drop from the formerly flagship “Mint” dance playlist. Record label Armada’s general manager Dan Smith noted its influence has steadily declined. This signals that algorithms could be replacing human editors as the go-to music finder for many Spotify users.
The company’s shifting focus towards AI may also be financially driven. Last year, Spotify cut 17% of its staff, likely seeking ways to automate processes and reduce overhead. Automated music matching removes the expense of employing expert curators.
However, Spotify maintains that human input remains integral. A company executive said editorial playlists “will always be” part of the experience due to consumers’ diverse tastes. When approached individually, each listener’s musical preferences are too nuanced for algorithms alone.
While AI-powered recommendations now dominate listener behaviors, more traditional music discovery avenues endure. Radio broadcasting continues attracting loyal fans even after more than 15 years of streaming. Multiple avenues, both human and algorithmic, will likely co-exist moving forward as technology evolves music consumption once again. New tech brings change, but a need for serendipitous human input endures.
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