I remember going to an AI + Music event in 2018 hosted by Spotify in Paris. They talked about optimising engagement with the first 30 seconds of a song, because that’s when they monetise. They don’t care what happens afterwards.
And now this: https://harpers.org/archive/2025/01/the-ghosts-in-the-machine-liz-pelly-spotify-musicians/
I’ve followed Liz Pelly for maybe 7-8 years. She’s legit. Spotify does not value music. It’s all just “content” that helps them sustain a very challenging business model (like YouTube).
If you are an artist, be aware. The money is elsewhere.
You don’t need 1 million streams, you only need 1,000 fans.