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.

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0

Artist Spotlight

Cali Tucker Unwraps Christmas Magic With Her New EP “Santa Baby”

Cali Tucker is back in the spotlight this season with “Santa Baby,” a beautifully made holiday EP that captures the heart, warmth, and timeless glow of Christmas classics. Cali is known for singing the National Anthem at NASCAR’s Pennzoil 400 in front of 80,000 fans and more than three million people at home. She brings the same powerful presence and emotional depth to this holiday project.

“Santa Baby” is a great holiday release for music lovers, bloggers, and new artist discovery sites. It has six tracks and lasts 20 minutes. It mixes nostalgia with Cali’s signature smooth vocals. Each song shows off her talent, but “O Holy Night” and “The Christmas Song” are two that stand out as favorites. Both performances show off her range, control, and ability to bring classic songs into modern emotional spaces without losing their original charm.

“O Holy Night” stands out as the EP’s spiritual center, with a glowing performance full of dynamics, warmth, and a cinematic stillness that draws people in. Cali gives the song both respect and a unique touch, breathing new life into a well-known hymn. “The Christmas Song,” on the other hand, makes you feel like you’re sitting next to a fire. It’s soft, heartfelt, and full of stories that make you feel nostalgic. Cali’s voice flows effortlessly through every note, making it impossible not to feel the magic of the season.

The whole EP flows easily and has a mix of fun sparkle, soulful warmth, and classic Christmas music. “Santa Baby” is the perfect song for the season, whether people are making holiday playlists, looking for new Christmas music, or discovering new vocal talents. This EP adds a new but familiar sound to today’s holiday music scene. It has a comforting feel and is easy to listen to repeatedly.

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0

Artist Spotlight

Kalpee Honors Heritage and Heart on His Emotion-Rich New EP Dougla Boi

Kalpee is back with Dougla Boi, a beautiful new EP that is both personal and powerful. It gives listeners a close look at the layers of identity, heritage, and emotion that make him who he is. The Trinidad and Tobago artist is confident in his own space, which is rooted in New Calypso and polished with hints of dancehall, R&B, and afrobeats. In this space, genre bends, but emotion leads.

Named after the Trinidadian word for someone of mixed African and Indian heritage, Dougla Boi is honest, proud, and warm about the complexities of culture. Kalpee opens a window into the dualities that define him across six tracks, turning personal truth into universal resonance. The EP is just under 19 minutes long, but every second is carefully planned to take listeners on a journey through courage, joy, healing, and the quiet strength that comes from accepting all parts of yourself.

The first single, “Under,” stands out right away for its calming yet emotionally charged experience. Kalpee’s voice flows over a beat that sounds both new and old, fitting the EP’s theme of bringing cultures together. It’s one of the best examples of how he can mix soft and hard sounds, which is what makes his New Calypso sound so unique.

“Everybody,” which features Full Blown, is another excellent song that has already done very well. It has a happy vibe and an infectious bounce, making it one of the EP’s most replayable songs. “Everybody” captures the spirit of community and shared experience, which is what Kalpee means when he says that identity is not a box but a rhythm.

Connect with Kalpee: Instagram

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0