John M Davis

I’m in the process of removing my music from Spotify. “So what, big deal?” In economic terms, it doesn’t cost me extra to get on Spotify. There’s certainly no monetary benefit to being on Spotify. If anything, I may lose audience. So this isn’t an economic decision. Instead the choice to leave or stay is a matter of integrity.

I’ve been beating the drum about the evils of Spotify on my social media for quite some time now. In my research I’ve done deep dives into the history and internals of the company and the negative impact it’s had on music and culture in general.*

Ironically, most of my music remained on the platform the whole time I was complaining about it. “That’s where my listeners are!” I wailed. While true, I’m feeling a shift in consumer attitudes toward Spotify in particular and streaming in general.

For years, artists have bemoaned the paltry royalties paid out by streaming and it’s only gotten worse. That said, it’s not unreasonable to assume that this is just how the industry has evolved and we have to evolve with it. That’s certainly (and suspiciously) how Spotify sees it.

For consumers, streaming is a pretty good deal. You get access to nearly limitless music for a quite reasonable fee. Or no fee if you’re willing to put up with ads. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t use streaming services myself. It’s a frictionless experience.

That said, it’s becoming more apparent that the subscription fees and advertising dollars given to Spotify are going to activities many of us listeners are not onboard with. Daniel Ek’s investments in generative AI and the European defense sector are particularly troubling.

The truth is, Spotify has never been a music company. It is an advertising company that uses music to draw eyeballs to the actual product: ads. Folks willing to pay to remove the ads just make things easier on Spotify and help increase profit margin.

Now we come full circle and I ask myself: if Spotify isn’t a music company and money generated from my art is being channeled into finding more efficient ways to kill people and kill culture, why the fuck am I putting my art on there?

Spotify made it easier for me to share my art and reach people. That is true. But I can’t in good conscience participate in an economy that espouses all the worst things on my list of worst things. I’m out, man. I’m going to have to get much better at marketing and finding my tribe. But shit man, that’s what music is all about, isn’t it?

*I can’t stress enough how impactful journalist Liz Pelly’s deep dive into Spotify has been. Her book Mood Machine is brilliant and a must read for folks who want to get a handle on this topic.