Pay for Inclusion on Popular Spotify Playlists “Is Definitely Happening”
posted by Derrick Rossignol on May 22, 2016 in News

Warner Music Group announced last week that streaming has become its primary revenue source, making them the first major record label to do so. In a digital music world where it’s easier than ever for artists to release music on their own, CEO Stephen Cooper said that playlists on streaming services are a major reason why labels are still relevant: “In the past it was about radio play, weekly charts and sales — now it’s a minute-by-minute battle for people’s time and attention. So playlisting is one of the big reasons why artists need record labels today.”

However, according to a piece written by Glenn Peoples a few months ago for Billboard, a big part of “playlisting” is a modern form of an unethical promotional practice from the days of radio: payola, or paying people with influence to promote a song.

“Spots on many of the largest Spotify playlists are already controlled by the three major music companies, which each own a branded property that curates playlists of many styles and genres,” Peoples wrote. “Pay for play ‘is definitely ­happening,’ claims a major label marketing executive, one of several who say that popular playlists can and have been bought.”

Peoples also claims he was told by a source that inclusion for a song on a playlist with “tens of thousands of fans” can cost $2,000, while a spot on “more well-followed playlists” can be in the neighborhood of $10,000.

In August 2015, Spotify updated their terms and conditions to “explicitly prohibit” users from accepting compensation for including a song on a playlist, and said, “We are absolutely against any kind of ‘pay to playlist,’ or sale of playlists. It’s bad for artists and it’s bad for fans.”

I use Apple instead now (even moreso now that they've done a student discount) but what I know of Spotify, they should change up their playlists more often and encourage people to listen to new stuff, because the spotify chart is so stagnant as the playlists largely show people the same stuff.

I use Apple instead now (even moreso now that they've done a student discount) but what I know of Spotify, they should change up their playlists more often and encourage people to listen to new stuff, because the spotify chart is so stagnant as the playlists largely show people the same stuff.

I never listen to any of spotify's playlists, I listen to random songs, albums or playlists I created, maybe others should do that instead of listening to that dull Drake song all the time