Some Thoughts on the Spotify and Bandcamp music Ecosystems3

Through some articles, I learned about the underlying logic of Discovery Mode and Spotify’s 30-second listening billing mechanism. The “Discovery Mode” paid exposure mode requires creators to participate. The tracks need to give up 30% of the royalties in exchange for recommended positions, and use algorithms to exchange for traffic, further diluting the earnings of independent musicians. The 30-second billing rule prompts creators to bring the climax to the first half minute and streamline the arrangement of the tracks. This chain mechanism not only affects income, but also imperceptibly reshapes the language of music. In contrast, Bandcamp has no preference Settings and the “Pay-What-You-Want” mode. The platform takes a 15% commission, and the remaining approximately 82% is paid directly to the artist. Artists can set fixed prices and minimum prices. Moreover, artists have complete purchase data and can send mass emails to buyers and distribute exclusive documents. This kind of “data sovereignty” is almost non-existent in mainstream streaming media. The case of Bandcamp demonstrates another sustainable path for the collaboration of technology and community.