“Music… makes the world go round.” The Hamilton Brothers had it right, didn’t they? It’s hard to imagine a moment when we aren’t tuned in to the rhythm of life. For me, the power of music is a constant companion, a symphony that colors every aspect of my day. And in this digital age, one platform has emerged to orchestrate our auditory adventures like never before: Spotify.
When Spotify made its grand entrance in 2008, the timing couldn’t have been more impeccable. As a high schooler planning a road trip, I stumbled upon it, forever changing the way I streamed music. From its early days as an invite-only platform to its current polished design, Spotify has maintained its user-friendly interface while constantly pushing the boundaries of musical innovation.
Student discounts + Hulu & SHOWTIME
I initially had the free Spotify service, because, well it was free – this service comes with ads and limited streaming. However, in college, I discovered that Spotify Premium offers a sweet student discount. This service allows unlimited music and you to listen to music offline – perfect for evening runs or when you’re 30,000 feet in the air. It also gives you Hulu’s ad-supported plan and SHOWTIME. Naturally, I subscribed to the premium service in 2012 and haven’t looked back since.
Exposure for up-and-coming artists
Spotify isn’t just a streaming service; it’s a launchpad for budding artists. Under the “Browse” section, you’ll find an expansive range of content—music, podcasts, short stories, poetry, meditation, and beyond. What sets Spotify apart is its commitment to promoting lesser-known talents. With their employee-curated playlists, meticulously crafted by Playlist Professionals (talk about a dream job), Spotify amplifies the voices of up-and-coming artists, giving them a chance to be heard and discovered.
Genius use of data for marketing:
As a person who loves learning about tech and behind-the-scenes action, I really appreciate the marketing team at Spotify. In 2016, they took user data and used it to fun-lovingly highlight what users were listening to for their Global Outdoor Campaign. They posted ads on billboards with headlines such as: “Dear person who played “Sorry” 42 times on Valentine’s Day, what did you do?” Last year was a bit different in that they took “2018 Goals” to display their data. “Be as loving as the person who put 48 Ed Sheeran songs on their “I Love Gingers” playlist...” also adding that “Shape of You” is the most-streamed song ever on their platform.
They also use smart data to tell you about your listening habits in “Your [insert year here] Wrapped.” In 2018, I listened to a lot of Drake and Leon Bridges – not surprised. There were a total of 100 songs in my Top Songs for 2018.
Making room for efficiency and improvement
Spotify isn’t a stranger to criticism, however, as people have argued that artists don’t make much for their work as Spotify makes deals with record labels. Remember when Taylor Swift pulled all her music from the platform back in 2014? Yes, I was devastated, but she has since had a change of heart and she’s once again in my top-played artists This all might have to do with the fact that Spotify increased its payout to $0.00437 per play from its previous $0.0038 per play.
Spotify isn’t a stranger to criticism, however, as people have argued that artists don’t make much for their work as Spotify makes deals with record labels. Remember when Taylor Swift pulled all her music from the platform back in 2014? Yes, I was devastated, but she has since had a change of heart and she’s once again in my top-played artists This all might have to do with the fact that Spotify increased its payout to $0.00437 per play from its previous $0.0038 per play.
Of course, any platform can always be improved. For example, I’d like to see what my friends are listening to on the app on my phone, not just on my desktop. This can create a unique experience for listeners: a newsfeed of music that can allow users to see what their friends are playing…perhaps the ability to stream live shows as well? Just an idea.
Nonetheless, I’m thoroughly impressed at how Spotify took over the digital music industry by storm in such a short period of time. It’s no wonder Spotify is the #1 music streaming service with over 170 million users using the platform for music and audio content.
What digital service do you use to stream your audio?
Serotonin + Co. 