How Spotify’s algorithm has hijacked your playlist

If you are feeling stuck in a loop of the same old songs on your Spotify playlists, it’s no accident.

For years now, we have been glued to streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music, but former Spotify data alchemist Glenn McDonald reveals that these platforms are secretly shaping your music taste.

Have you ever wondered why Spotify sometimes just spoon-feeds you random music?

In a special two-part series of The Briefing, we sit down with McDonald to explore the truth behind Spotify hits, what we can do about the algorithms, and the behind-the-scenes secrets that make songs go viral.

McDonald said that streaming services prioritise familiarity, offering up music you’ve already shown interest in, which means people are less likely to explore new genres or artists.

“If what you want is to discover new things in music as in anything else, you have to go where there are things that you don’t know. Like if you go to your favourite restaurant, you won’t learn very much about new food,” McDonald said.

He highlighted that streaming services like Spotify are also encouraging such behaviours, making audiences stay in their comfort zone.

“Spotify is definitely encouraging you to do that. They’re making it much easier for you to get things that are already familiar to you than it is to find new things,” he said.

McDonald also pointed out the behind-the-scenes strategies that influence which songs get the spotlight. He said some artists may accept a lower royalty payout in exchange for increased visibility and exposure on the platform.

“You as a listener don’t know whether a song that gets played to you, an autoplay, has been influenced by somebody agreeing for money not to change hands, which is the new version of money changing hands,” he added.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. McDonald says there are ways we can take control of our listening habits, like actively seeking new music or using features like Discover Weekly to push beyond the algorithm’s limits.

“I think they share the blame for these patterns, but you have the power to change your listening, which is different from blaming you, but you do have that power.”

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