New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The way we access music has gone through various changes, and the latest revolution of the kind started 15 years ago when Spotify was first launched in Sweden. Once it reached the United States, Spotify skyrocketed in popularity, which inspired the creation of several other streaming services. Spotify revolutionized the music landscape, and if you'd like to know how, continue reading.
A New Way to Consume Music
Before Spotify entered the scene, people used to buy albums or single songs in order to listen to their favorite tracks. Thanks to the world's largest music streaming platform, that is no longer the case. Users can now pay a modest monthly fee that allows them to stream as much music as they wish. The shift from buying to streaming was the first step towards the transformation of the entire industry, and it also boosted overall music consumption.
It's Easy to Discover New Tracks
Spotify users can browse millions of songs available, regardless of the genres they prefer. In fact, the platform features a new way of categorizing music which is based on different moods. This allows people to explore new soundtracks by listening to multi-genre playlists designed to support the way they feel at any moment. Users are thrilled about this kind of browsing, and there are even playlist curators who dedicate lots of time to the creation of new lists. Furthermore, many of them market their products through Spotify playlist advertising in order to reach additional subscribers. On the other hand, this boosts the exposure of an average user to a high variety of tracks, which is an effortless way to discover new favorites.
More Exposure for Independent Artists
Before the emergence of Spotify and other streaming services, it was much harder for independent artists to showcase their work. They were simply smothered by the dominance of major labels which made it almost impossible for their music to be heard. However, due to Shopify's global reach and incredible ease of use, artists have a much higher chance of finding the right audience for their tracks. And as non-mainstream music becomes more available on the platform, frequent users are also adopting more flexible listening habits.
The Downfall of Piracy
Back in the day, it was common for people to go for illegal downloading and file-sharing supported by platforms like Limewire and Napster. This habit caused such rapid growth of piracy that it was hard to imagine it would ever decline. However, Spotify introduced legal streaming that is so affordable and simple that it makes piracy look like a hassle that is just too complicated to be worth the time and effort. Also, thanks to a number of consumer awareness campaigns, new generations are taught to find it normal to pay for the music they listen to. Even though nowadays we only pay a fraction of the price that people used to pay for a single CD, this is a huge step away from piracy and towards more respect for the rights of all musicians out there.
Fair Treatment for Songwriters and Producers
When music moved from CDs to the digital world, fans were no longer presented with information about the individuals involved in the creation of their favorite tracks. During the era of CDs, the work of producers, songwriters, and other important contributors used to be acknowledged on album covers and booklets so everyone could easily find it. Once the digital platforms took over, learning more about the credits required a Google search which is only conducted by the most passionate fans. On the contrary, Shopify implemented public credits in February 2018. Since then, the platform also introduced Written By playlists where users can explore the works of major songwriters all in one place, as well as their latest feature called Songwriters Hub.
Spotify transformed the music industry, and the changes it inspired brought benefits to both the artists and their fans. Users are thrilled by the option of having millions of tracks at their fingertips, and the industry is thriving thanks to the decline of piracy and the fact that listeners are once again willing to pay for the music they get to enjoy.
