In a recent announcement, Spotify has taken the initiative to launch a new feature for artists at every stage to increase their exposure through the digital streaming platform’s algorithmic music selector, which the app reverts to on the radio and Autoplay functions.
“In this new experiment, artists and labels can identify music that’s a priority for them, and our system will add that signal to the algorithm that determines personalized listening sessions,” the statement reads. “This allows our algorithms to account for what’s important to the artist.”
“To ensure the tool is accessible to artists at any stage of their careers, it won’t require any upfront budget. Instead, labels or rights holders agree to be paid a promotional recording royalty rate for streams in personalized listening sessions where we provided this service,” the statement continued.
Further, into the announcement, the streaming service states that there is “no guaranteed placement” to either artists or labels adding, that only music listeners will way to hear will be what is recommended by Spotify.
The announcement by Spotify comes one week after more than 4,000 independent artists apart of the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers proposed an initiative challenging Spotify to pay a minimum of one cent per stream and provide a “more equitable streaming environment”.
“Music workers create all of the enormous wealth Spotify accumulates for its CEO, its investors, and the major labels,” the Union wrote in an open letter. “But we artists continue to be underpaid, misled, and otherwise exploited by the company.”
