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Spotify Offering Labels, Artist Boost In Algorithm For Reduced Royalty Pay Out

Spotify’s playlist algorithms have provided them with a leg up on their competitors. The playlists specifically curated for the user have helped introduce artists to the masses while also giving the listener the perfect soundtrack suited to the vibe.

In a press release titled, “Amplifying Artist Input in Your Personalized Recommendations,” Spotify revealed that they’ll be testing out a new feature for artists and labels that will allow them to recommend songs specifically to your playlist. The service will give artists the opportunity to spotlight a track, be it a new single or the anniversary of a prominent track, and have that feed into the algorithm that would place it in your recommendations. Of course, this will also be based on their refined algorithms. They won’t be placing random songs that you probably wouldn’t listen to on your playlist.

This feature will only be offered for the algorithm that determines radio and autoplay, rather than fixed playlists they curate on their own.

The feature is meant to help artists have a say in how people discover their music. Of course, this service does come with a price. Though no numbers have been revealed, artists will have their pay-outs reduced if they agree to “promotional recording royalty rate for streams in personalized listening sessions where we provided this service.”

This could either be a dope feature that helps artists out even more or it could turn into a new way to manipulate streams. Given Billboard’s recent decision to nix merch bundles from official album sales, it seems the latter will somehow be inevitable.

[Via]

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Artist Spotlight

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 makes a stand for afrobeat against corruption on latest release Na Dem feat. Tom Morello.

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 deliver a powerful afrobeat statement with “Na Dem,” Featuring Tom Morello and produced by Femi Koleoso. The track has been a fan favourite even before its official release, and comes with the unmistakable spirit of protest, truth-telling, and social accountability that have long characterized Afrobeat’s most impactful moments.

The song’s heart is a direct challenge to corruption and the abuse of power. Instead of singling out one profession or institution for its critique, “Na Dem” identifies a larger culture of dishonesty, targeting bad lawyers, bad doctors, bad politicians, and anyone who would sell their integrity for personal gain. The message is sharp and uncompromising and delivered with the urgency that has become a hallmark of Seun Kuti’s artistry.

The inclusion of Tom Morello adds another level of intensity to the record. His presence adds to the song’s rebellious energy, creating a powerful intersection between the rhythmic activism of Afrobeat and the confrontational edge of rock. The result of the collaboration is a track that is both timeless and of the moment.

The song’s dedication to principle is what rings true. The moral center of the record is Seun’s statement that he would never prostitute his conscience for money. It turns “Na Dem” from a critique into a declaration of personal values, responsibility, and resistance.

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Artist Spotlight

Deaf Radio returning to a place that feels familiar but has changed on “No Place Like Home”

Deaf Radio offers a deeply affecting experience with “No Place Like Home,” a haunting meditation on grief, memory, and the enduring connection between family and place. Rather than a story of loss, the song invites listeners into the emotional experience of returning to a place that feels familiar but has changed.

It’s an open letter to the people, the moments that used to make home. It captures the unsettling experience of walking into a house where everything is still there, the clothes, the scents, the light streaming through the windows, but the person who gave those details meaning is gone. There is only a lingering ache that fills every room.

It’s a complex emotional journey that runs just under eight minutes in “No Place Like Home.” Its structure does not allow for repetition, each section uncovering another layer of feeling. The song begins with a hushed looping arpeggio and the striking line “your tough mother’s love”, immediately setting a deeply personal tone. From there, it spills out into spare, humane verses before exploding into ninety seconds of crushing guitars and feedback that feel like grief breaking through emotional constraint.

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