Spotify Newsletter #129

Your Weekly Dose of Spotify News

Sep 30

▷ Listen

SAVE

It’s issue #129 of the Spotify Newsletter! Many thanks for clicking in today!

Wanted: Nazi Hunters for large audio streaming company based in Sweden.

Apparently there’s at least ‘40 white supremacist artists’ existing at the farthest reaches of the Spotify platform.

More Steely Dan, less white supremacy is how I like my Spotify streaming experience, but clearly there’s an audience for this type of extreme content.

The ADL pumped out an investigation highlighting the problem: “The report calls for Spotify to crack down on hate speech and other harmful content, which have gained steam as a growing cast of tech companies face pressure to boost safety on their services.”

I refuse to waste anyone’s time reading my notes about how the ADL goes about their methods of determining what they should investigate and what they casually ignore, but I feel extremely confident that those in charge at Spotify are not purposely looking the other way when it comes to questionable content.

Should Spotify be aware of content that might be deemed harmful and hateful? Yep. Absolutely yep.

But a story like this also plays nicely into the open arms of the anti-Spotify lobby, a toasty issue to help ding the streaming behemoth. The only thing missing from this story to make the Spotify Haters swoon is the appearance of Joe Rogan.

Still, I wouldn’t worry too much that the executive team at Spotify are hate-group sympathizers who are secretly trying to pepper their global platform with as much Nazi Rock as possible.

If I upload a playlist called ‘White Supremacist Singalongs’, I’d like to believe someone, somewhere at Spotify is going to become aware and check out the situation. And make the necessary adjustments.

The fact is that Spotify is removing bad content. Just not fast enough for some.

Also… Spotify currently has 11 million artists on its platform.

11 million.

The ADL report found 40 they deem as featuring questionable content. That’s likely 40 too many, but let’s not start to panic that it’s a red-alert problem; I don’t see any hate rock making the Release Radar anytime soon.

A problem, yes. To be dealt with. But let’s not lose our minds.

There’s a song called ‘F—k the Police’ by N.W.A. on Spotify. Catchy tune. A report could be whipped up to spotlight such a song and its potentially ‘questionable’ content.

Apples and oranges, perhaps, but depending on who is doing the sleuthing, I’m sure all kinds of investigations could be launched to inquire about a variety of artists across the platform.

I’m very confident Spotify is handling the situation.

Anyway…

Netflix has released the official trailer for The Playlist, its upcoming show about the creation of Spotify, and the nearly two-minute trailer indicates the show will be a very serious look at how the streaming giant built its empire.

Are we going to watch? Is there a buzz brewing?

Another solid gold week of news. Have a nice weekend!!!

* I’m also happy to take requests for the ‘Adventure’ below - especially if it’s an artist I might have overlooked, or just happen to be totally oblivious about.