Ashkan’s Reviews > Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist > Status Update

“It feels fitting that Spotify was originally imagined as an advertising platform, because in many cases, when you press “play” on a calm-down, wellness-vibes, or whatever mood playlist, what you’re hearing is something that was cranked out by someone making music for an advertising library.”

‎‏“Spotify is a cultural force right now,” the affiliate went on. “If I have a kid and I’m trying to teach them about the history of ambient music, and go to Spotify… more often than not, what you’ll find is PFC artists. I can’t teach my kid about jazz if they’re listening to, like, ‘Soft Jazz in the Background.’ ”

“This was, in part, the goal: if Spotify could shape user behavior around coming to the platform for certain playlists, certain moods, certain vibes, then it would maintain control over the user experience. If a user comes to the platform every night for a playlist called “Chill Vibes,” “Ibiza Lounge,” or “Fresh & Chill,” it matters very little what is actually found on those playlists.”

“I remember he was like, ‘Apple Music, Amazon, these aren’t our competitors. Our only competitor is silence.’”