Lately there has been some discussion about Spotify and how much artists get money from Spotify plays. Is it even worth being on Spotify if you are either a successful artist or a so-far-never-heard-but-desperately-wannabe-artist?

Well, to put it shortly.

Dear artist, if you are not on Spotify, you just don’t exist.

And why is that?

Spotify is the perfect “tool” for finding new music. Back in the 1900s there was this thing called radio that was quite useful for finding new artists and music. Well, finding new artists who were already popular enough to get some airtime on radio. But it was totally ruined by playlists and “hit music only”-attitude. What if you are into some more obscure music genre, for example death metal or avant-garde rock? Sorry, there was no radio station for you. Radio was quite useful at the time, but I really don’t know what happened to radio stations after internet came to everybody 😉

Also, back in 1900s, there were all these music TV channels. One of the most popular channels was actually once upon a time called MTV for Music Television. But a long time ago it turned to reality TV channel where ancient rock stars are collecting dog poo (Ozzy, I love you) or pregnant teenagers got their fifteen minutes of fame. But even if there still is some TV channel showing music videos, who would be watching them? On short attention span internet age? Who would wait for one week for the special show that shows your kind of music when there is Youtube? And the death metal-avant-garde rock fans favourite music would not be shown on TV anyway. So also TV is quite obsolete for younger generation for finding interesting new music.

But now, we are in the 2010s. You know, even school kids have smart phones with video capabilities. And of course these streaming music services, like Spotify. It is just so convenient to be able to check out some music you’ve never heard and find something new. Some artists that I have found through Spotify are for example Mastodon, Opeth and oh.. The Who. Yes, the CSI band. Those young angry men. How could I have ever found those bands, if I had not been able to check out their music the way I wanted to, when I wanted to? Sometimes even by accident when clicking at the wrong link.

Yes, I have a cd collection. I have even bought cds from bands that I found on Spotify. But my cd collection is basically collecting dust. Spotify is everywhere I go. And how could you, as an artist, become a little part of my cd-collection if I have never heard about you. Basically, if you are not on Spotify, you don’t exist. I will never find out about you.There are some bands that I would love to listen to, but I won’t. I have your cd:s but yes, they are covered in dust. Yes, AC/DC and Rammstein. You are not on Spotify. You don’t exist anymore. Metallica and Led Zeppelin, thank you for making the wise decision of joining Spotify. I missed you so, it is great that you are back in my life.

So if you are an artist and you think that you gain something by NOT being on Spotify, I think you should think again. As far as I am considered, you don’t exist. I never hear your music, I will never come to see your show, you don’t get a penny of my money.

By the way, who is Taylor Swift?