Music, power to the people, has always been a way to create, resist, and express freedom. What happens when the platforms made to amplify creativity begin to threaten it? The same technology that is constantly threatening the livelihood of creatives is not only forced into the user interface of streaming services like Spotify, but also used as artificial intelligence munition.
Spotify, a widely beloved and seemingly inescapable streaming service, was founded in 2006 by CEO Daniel Ek. As physical media use has dwindled, streaming services such as Spotify have made it simpler to play music anywhere at any time. Although it has become better for users of the app, Spotify has become increasingly problematic in the larger picture.
The free version is infested with ads between songs and has limited freedom in the order of songs you listen to. If you want a break from the ads, a premium account gives you access to endless songs and playlist-making ability, but that monthly cost can be unattainable for many people. Meanwhile, artists who have their music on Spotify are barely getting paid.
Ranging from a price of $11.99 a month for an individual or $5.99 for students, this price may seem like a good deal. Being able to create hundreds of playlists for various occasions seems like a dream come true for music lovers. Unfortunately, that convenience comes at a bigger price.
Before taxes and interest, Spotify’s operating income was reported as $553.79 million in 2024. Despite the profit, artists are still left with extremely low pay rates.
Streaming service pay comparison:
- Spotify: $.002-.004 per stream
- Apple Music: $.01 per stream
- Qobuz: $0.01873 per stream
Ideally, artists should not need millions of streams just to make rent. What once was seen as a valuable career option now feels like a game of chance with a huge risk.
It gets worse; musicians’ paychecks are not the only concern when using Spotify. Via Ek’s investment company Prima Materia, the Spotify CEO invested $694 million into Helsing, a European tech company developing AI for defense systems. This is not the first time Ek has had ties with Helsing and faced criticism. In 2021, Prima Materia put $1.16 million into Helsing. These controversies, along with others, have led many artists to pull their work from the platform.
No matter who this technology goes to, using funds built on the creative labor of musicians to fund war machines is ethically wrong. Of course, Ek isn’t Spotify, just as Helsing isn’t Germany. But if music is art, and art is expression, what does it mean when the profits from that are used to perfect tools of war?
Beyond my personal problems with Spotify, many users are unaware of some of the shady things music streaming platforms promote. Being transparent is extremely important, and consumers and artists deserve to know where their money goes.
Artists deserve more, listeners deserve honesty and the world deserves music untainted by violence.
So what do we do now? Canceling Spotify may feel more like ending a seven-year relationship. Moving to another music platform may have just as many issues. Apple Music, YouTube Music and even lesser-known services like Deezer have faced controversies. As of now, Qobuz and Bandcamp seem to be reliable sources we can depend on for music without so much problematic baggage.
This may be a sign to take things off the internet and go old school. The return of physical media may be closer than we think. Although the recorded music industry has seen significant growth in revenue due to streaming services, physical media is also experiencing a resurgence, particularly in vinyl sales. Whether for nostalgia, aesthetics or ethical reasons, buying directly from artists ensures musicians are actually paid and that your money is going directly to them.
If a bit of discomfort and a little consciousness is what it takes to create a more ethical music scene, the benefits outweigh the costs. Art is what heightens connection and makes us human; we can not keep funding a system that destroys that.
Maya DeHoyos can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
