tgs 1/28 - spotify did what they do, again
spotify did what they do, again
this week, spotify figured out a new way to get all of the people talking, AKA a new way to use your data to brainwash you into streaming songs until you dissolve into the infinite abyss of mindless consumption.
the new thing is called “daylists”, where you will essentially receive a discover weekly playlist every day designed for oddly specific moods. today mine is “spring sunshine thursday afternoon” (yawn) but others have included “ironic afternoon” and “sad hopeless romantic evening".”
don’t get me wrong, i had no issues with this at first. these titles can be funny, and funny things go viral. but when i saw the artists surfaced to me, my face did one of these: 🤨. i swear to god, every AI generated playlist or spotify radio station is just another way to get me to listen to Young the Giant. spotify: literally fuck that band.
in other words, i worry that the more we rely on algos to make our playlists, the more we are driven into corners of the music sphere that immunize us from true exploration, and subject us to the whims of labels paying for placement. sometimes, it’s not a good thing to be fed what the tech gods think we want to hear and we benefit from challenging our tastes. i really hope this newsletter helps with that.
anyways, enjoy your tunes this week and let me know if i’m being a cynical prick!
1. “I Have No Idea What I’m Doing” by Lo Noom
<100K streams
i have no idea what genre this is
2. “Fresh Peach Pie” by Dog Door
<100K streams rising
tail waggin’ dog rock
3. “Earth Control” by DARGZ
hidden gem rising
the flaming lips went on a space mission to find bowie
4. “All My Love” by okaywill
rising
tame impala but tone down the psych
5. “Harbour Arms” by Richard Greenan (feat. bb sway, Mr Beatnick)
<100K streams
a lil funk, a lil classical, vibin’
6. “Everything’s Beautiful” by Hiatus Kaiyote
new release
genre fluid tunes for music nerds
7. “Literally Everything” by Brimheim
rising
ryan gosling would drive to this song
8. “Unwound ” by Yussef Dayes
new release
the jazz of the present feat. insane drummin’
9. “Do You Think I’m Pretty” by Kingfisher
rising
Black Country, New Road on a tight budget
10. “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bon Iver
hidden gem
the best damn bonnie rait cover you’ve ever heard
Stray Links
we are being tricked into watching musicals
squid release new song and remind us of their tour
elbow announce new album
Slate releases the best time of day to do many things and it must be fucking parody because 9PM is not an ideal time for a run
another hollywood strike, but this time it’s the music people