Spotify Newsletter #130

Your Weekly Dose of Spotify News

Oct 7

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Hello and welcome to issue #130 of the Spotify Newsletter!

** If ever there was an artist who deserved to have their streams boosted to the moon due to the news of their passing … it would be Loretta Lynn. Since the sad news of her death on Tuesday I have been hip deep into her amazing catalog. Might have to fire up a viewing of ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ this weekend as well. She’s reunited with Doolittle.

** Spotify is acquiring Kinzen, a startup that specializes in using machine learning to analyze content and report potentially harmful statements to human moderators. The big aim here is to help find misinformation in podcasts.

The word ‘misinformation’ is tricky because it means different things to different people. A lot depends on who is at the controls and what agenda is at play. I think we all want to weed out harmful content, but when it comes to ideas/opinions/analysis … things gets dicey.

One person’s misinformation, is another person’s regular, old information.

** Interesting opinion via The Verge this week from a writer who says that ‘Spotify’s app is getting cluttered and overleveraged.’ My biggest issue currently is getting comfy with the Home button and search bar at the top of the page (via browser).

He writes: ‘As the service has grown, it’s also sprawled.’

I won’t deny that the Spotify lawn party is getting crowded with activities, but I’m not having much trouble finding what I want, when I want it.

If the new audiobooks start to encroach on my Steely Dan playlist, then I might have to dial up the heat. But for now, full speed ahead.

But that Home button… I’m always looking left, when I need to be shifting my eyes/clicker north.

** Thanks for reading this week! Have a super weekend!

★In the SPOTlight★

🔥 Spotify acquires content moderation tech company Kinzen to address platform safety issues

At Spotify, Kinzen’s technology will be put to use to help the company better moderate podcasts and other audio using a combination of machine learning and human expertise — the latter which includes analysis from local academics and journalists, the company says.

🔥 Spotify keeps making it harder for me to listen to music

As the company explores new lines of business, Spotify’s app is getting cluttered and overleveraged

🔥 Spotify cancels 11 original podcasts, lays off under 5% of podcast staff

Over the next couple of months, podcasts leaving the platform include Gimlet’s “How to Save a Planet,” “Crime Show,” “Every Little Thing,” as well as Parcast’s “Medical Murders,” “Female Criminals,” “Crimes of Passion,” “Dictator,” “Mythology,” “Haunted Places” and “Urban Legends.”