Music

Spotify Will Let Artists Promote Their Music In Listeners’ Algorithms On One Condition

Getty Image The streaming service is testing out a new tool which allows musicians to prioritize their songs on autoplay. …

Just a week after over 4,000 independent artists backed a campaign that pressures Spotify to pay artists more per stream, the service announced a new feature that poses another disadvantage to smaller artists. Spotify announced they will begin allowing artists to promote their music in your personalized algorithm — only if musicians agree to take a smaller cut of streaming royalties.

Spotify made the announcement in a press release Monday. Calling the feature a “new experiment,” they explained that “artists and labels can identify music that’s a priority for them, and our system will add that signal to the algorithm that determines personalized listening sessions.”

Per Spotify’s blogpost, which Gizmodo noted as “carefully worded,” the streaming service wrote that artists will be taking a cut of royalty payouts. “Instead, labels or rights holders agree to be paid a promotional recording royalty rate for streams in personalized listening sessions where we provided this service.”

Spotify then went on to clarify that if a song isn’t performing well with listeners, they will pull the song from its algorithm placement. “Listener satisfaction is our priority—we won’t guarantee placement to labels or artists, and we only ever recommend music we think listeners will want to hear,” they wrote. In other words, artists cannot ensure priority even if they agree to take a smaller cut of royalties in exchange for taking advantage of the feature.

This new tool will not factor into listener’s Discover Weekly playlists, which is a curated cluster of music the streaming service’s algorithm has deduced a listener will enjoy based on their streaming history. The feature will only apply to radio and autoplay services, though Spotify did note they may eventually expand it to “other personalized areas” of their platform.

Read Spotify’s full blog post here.

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Entertainment

Playboi Carti Feels “Like Weezy” as MUSIC Dominates the Streets

Playboi Carti is known for his unique style and unpredictable nature, but when he celebrates his achievements, he compares himself to one of the biggest names in hip-hop: Lil Wayne. Recently, his album MUSIC sold an impressive 500,000 copies in just two weeks, leading Carti to proclaim on social media, “FEELING LIKE WEEZY WE ALREADY PLATINUM N DA STREETS,” which means he feels as successful as Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne has greatly impacted hip-hop, and Carti has always admired him. You can see this influence in Carti’s music and style.

For example, Carti’s latest release is named after Wayne’s famous mixtape, showing just how much he looks up to the rap legend. Like Wayne, who built a massive following of loyal fans, Carti has also captivated the music scene. Interestingly, the success of MUSIC coincided with the ten-year anniversary of Carti’s first big hit, Broke Boi. A decade ago, he was just starting out, but now he is a well-established artist whose music releases are highly anticipated events. Fans are now looking forward to his upcoming album, BABY BOI. Given Carti’s history of surprising fans, it might take a while before the album drops.

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But that excitement is part of what makes being a fan enjoyable. Like his promotional strategies, his previous album, Whole Lotta Red, was filled with surprises. At the same time, Lil Wayne is set to release his new album, Tha Carter VI, this year, creating an interesting parallel between the two artists. While one hip-hop icon continues his legacy, the other is making a name for himself while paying homage to the past. Regardless of when BABY BOI is released, Carti’s influence shows no signs of slowing down, and if he truly is “like Weezy,” the best is yet to come.

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Entertainment

Quavo Sparks Excitement for Possible “Huncho Jack 2” with Travis Scott

Could 2024 be the year that Quavo and Travis Scott bring back their popular collaboration, Huncho Jack? Fans are buzzing with excitement after Quavo shared a mysterious teaser that has everyone talking. While enjoying a ride on a speedboat in Miami, Quavo played a snippet of a new song featuring Travis Scott. He hinted that a sequel to their earlier project might be on the way by posting, “Thinkin HJ2? Tag Jack.” This has sparked a lot of speculation about whether the duo is working on new music together. Fans reacted enthusiastically, flooding the comments with hope for the sequel.

One fan expressed their desire for a follow-up after seven years, while another called the original album an “underrated classic.” The first Huncho Jack project, released in December 2017, stood out with its catchy tunes and the natural chemistry between Quavo and Travis Scott. It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 90,000 copies in its first week and topping the R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap charts. The project also included contributions from Quavo’s Migos bandmates, Offset and Takeoff, adding even more depth to the collaboration. With Takeoff’s passing in 2022, revisiting Huncho Jack feels both poignant and a way to honor his legacy.

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Now, seven years later, fans feel that a sequel is more important than ever. Both Quavo and Travis have grown as artists, Quavo is adapting to life after Migos, while Travis continues to break new musical ground with his latest work, Utopia. A second Huncho Jack album could blend their personal growth with their skills in making exciting and innovative music. The ball is now in Travis Scott’s court. Quavo has clarified that he’s ready to roll, but will Travis join him? Fans are eagerly waiting and won’t stop until these two come together to deliver the sequel they’ve been dreaming of for years.

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