The Long History of the 2017 Spotify “Fake Music” Scandal

Goldschmitt discusses the long history of the 2017 Spotify "fake music" candal. In Jul 2017 The Verge reported that popular streaming music service Spotify was employing a handful of musicians to produce over fifty tracks to fill out the company's "Peaceful Piano," "Calm Vibes," and "Music for Concentration" in-house playlists. Other news outlets soon followed suit with articles such as "Are Spotify's 'Fake Artists' Any Good?" and "Spotify Is Accused of Creating Fake Artists - but What Is a Fake Artist?" Since 2013 Spotify has featured playlists that the company curates for users throughout the platform as part of the company's branding. Like prominent placement on a top radio station, placement on a popular playlist translates to immediate income via increased exposure and listening royalties, especially important factors for middle-class and struggling musicians.