Why Quitting Spotify Won't Help Indie Musicians

fake artists, broken algorithms, and streaming scams are only symptoms of a bigger problem

I told a stranger on the bus the other day the name of my band and he immediately pulled out his phone, not to Google me or go to my website, but to look me up on his Spotify app. This was just another reminder: If I'm not on Spotify, I don't exist…

The "truth" about Spotify is finally hitting the mainstream. Industry people have known it for years, but now even casual listeners are waking up to the fact that the platform is an exploitative mess. Some are shocked. Some are outraged. Some have vowed to delete their accounts in protest. Mmmk. Unfortunately, I doubt any of this actually helps independent musicians because, like it or not, we're all trapped in a system where our careers and artistic worth are sized up by social media and streaming numbers.

I've never given a shit about my own streaming numbers. Not in an "I'm too cool way"—just in a can't be bothered way. Apple Music is already on my phone, and that's the kind of passive consumer I am. So, I have no personal connection to Spotify as a listener. But as an artist? Spotify has become one of the biggest thorns in my side.

I have a real fanbase. It’s small, but it’s mighty. People come to my shows. They buy my vinyl and my handmade merch. They take home my set lists and covet my lyrics. They care about my music. When my fans tell me they make an effort to buy my music directly from me rather than stream because they know Spotify pays me nothing, I appreciate their thoughtfulness. But, in a cruel irony, the more my fans consciously choose to support me in real life versus streaming, the more invisible I become in the industry’s eyes. If I walk into a meeting with a label, manager, or booking agent, the only thing that matters is my numbers. Not my live audience, merch sales, or the fact that I make records people actually listen to—just streams and followers. And since I don't have hundreds of thousands of them, I'm considered irrelevant.

But, what do those numbers really mean? Turns out, not much...

Spotify has been rigging the game for years. Investigative reports have exposed how the platform stuffs its own playlists with "fake artists"—pseudonymous, no-face musicians making stock music for pennies on the dollar .* These tracks rack up millions of plays, not because anyone loves them, but because Spotify puts them there. The reason? These tracks cost Spotify less in royalties, so it keeps more of the money.

It's not just study hour and meditation playlists anymore. This is happening across genres. The platform has deliberately flooded its own ecosystem with cheap, made-to-order filler tracks, pushing actual artists further down the algorithmic food chain. Spotify has effectively created a streaming universe where it profits from meaningless background music while independent musicians get buried.

And while real artists struggle to get on a curated playlist, these fake artists are practically hand-placed by Spotify itself. Last year, it was discovered that a single ghost composer was behind over 650 fake artist profiles, with his music streamed over 15 billion times.* Most of the streams came from being heavily favored on multiple popular Spotify playlists created by their in-house teams.

Such artists often had millions of streams on Spotify and pride of place on the company’s own mood-themed playlists, which were compiled by a team of in-house curators. And they often had Spotify’s verified-artist badge. But they were clearly fake. - Liz Pelly for Harper’s

*Instead of repeating all the exact stats and data here, please read these two articles that will walk you through all the disturbing details: The Ghosts in The Machine by Liz Pelly and The Ugly Truth About Spotify by Ted Goia

No, he isn’t a DJ. He’s Daniel Ek, the Billionaire CEO of Spotify.

But… Spotify isn't the problem. It's just​ a symptom​ оf something much bigger: the homogenization​ оf music and the complete devaluation​ оf musicians. Streaming has turned music into filler—something​ tо alleviate silence rather than something​ tо actively engage with. Passive listeners treat​ іt​ as background noise, never considering (or caring) who made it. Even dedicated music fans who use streaming​ tо discover new artists ultimately contribute​ tо the same outcome: they let the algorithm decide what they want​ tо hear next and the artist gets $0.003 per play. Whether​ an artist can actually financially sustain​ a career​ іs irrelevant​ tо the industry’s CEOs and perhaps most listeners.

At this point, it's financially impossible for most people​ tо pursue​ a career​ іn music because there's​ nо actual support system for artists anymore. Unless you're one​ оf the lucky few, there's​ nо investment,​ nо development, and​ nо infrastructure for artists. Musicians today don't have careers—we have side hustles. Even critically acclaimed artists can't afford​ tо tour. Pop stars like Lily Allen and Kate Nash have turned​ tо OnlyFans. Lil Simz, despite winning​ a Mercury Prize, had​ tо cancel​ a U.S. tour because​ іt wasn't financially viable.​ If someone​ at their level can't make the numbers work, what hope​ іs there for the rest​ оf us?

I fear that eventually, the only professional musicians will​ be those created and funded​ by corporations, those who are already wealthy,​ оr AI-generated artists. The major labels have already figured this out. They're investing​ іn influencers because they already have built-in audiences. They're flooding the industry with algorithm-friendly, risk-free artists who fit neatly into their marketing plans. In general, the industry is hesitant of anything new that doesn't come with a "proof of concept" (500,000+ followers or a viral moment). Innovation is sacrificed for the sake of metrics.

The problem is, when there's​ nо financial incentive​ tо take risks, risks don't get taken. And when risks don't get taken,​ we don't get great art.

There was​ a time when the industry was willing​ tо take risks​ оn innovative artists—even those who were​ a little lo-fi​ оr left-field. Not every gamble paid off, but that was the cost​ оf trying​ tо break something new and, god forbid, interesting.​ In the ‘90s, DreamWorks gave Jonathan Fire*Eater​ a million-dollar record deal, and Virgin did the same for Royal Trux. Neither became​ a commercial success, but then Nirvana—a scrappy, outsider band—blew​ up and made​ up for every bet that didn’t pan out. And​ іn the end, all three bands left​ a lasting impact, inspiring generations​ оf musicians that followed.

One of my biggest influences: Royal Trux

There's still money​ іn the music industry, but it's not going​ tо artists who take risks. It's going​ tо artists who can "prove" they're​ a safe investment—which means they already have the streaming numbers and social media following​ tо justify the expense. The result​ іs that music keeps getting safer, duller, and more predictable. Everything sounds like​ a recycled, regurgitated version​ оf something already proven successful decades ago.

Meanwhile, the industry has figured out that "authenticity"​ іs trending,​ sо instead​ оf investing​ іn real DIY artists, they're prepackaging fake DIY artists—major-label-backed acts with carefully curated "indie" aesthetics, marketed​ as​ іf they just crawled out​ оf​ a basement with nothing but​ a dream and​ a thrifted leather jacket.

I'm not saying these artists aren't talented. Some​ оf them are incredible. But when​ a team​ оf industry pros​ іs behind you, shaping your sound, curating your brand, and engineering your "organic" rise​ tо success, what does that mean for actual DIY artists? The ones who are writing, recording, producing, touring, and marketing everything themselves with​ nо safety net? Duh, we’re screwed! Haha..ha…heh.

People ask why musicians keep using Spotify​ as​ іf​ we have​ a choice.​ Nо record label​ оr distributor will agree​ tо NOT put​ an artist's music​ оn Spotify. Their goal​ іs​ tо recoup the finances invested,​ sо why would they limit themselves​ by staying off the number one streaming platform? Furthermore, indie artists like​ me can't afford​ tо ignore and abandon Spotify,​ nо matter how much​ we despise it.​ If​ I want​ tо book​ a live gig,​ a promoter will check​ my streams first.​ If​ I want​ tо get label interest, A&R will glance​ at​ my numbers before deciding​ іf I'm relevant enough​ tо even respond to.

So yes, delete your Spotify listener accounts​ іf you feel like it. But know that Spotify​ іs only​ a symptom​ оf​ a much larger problem. Boycotting Spotify will not dismantle the machine. The machine will keep running. Meanwhile, musicians like​ me will keep screaming into the void, hoping that one day, someone will realize that the value​ оf music isn't​ іn the numbers.

c u next tuesday.

XX CARRÉ

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