by fbnlsr on 2/4/25, 5:35 PM with 227 comments
by nluken on 2/4/25, 6:28 PM
Is the model profitable? For some. Good for society? Perhaps not.
EDIT: also want to concur with others here that the problem here isn't necessarily AI but how we're selecting what music we're listening to. In the book, Pelly specifically identifies channels like Chilled Cow as being part of the watering down of this genre, since they have a similar incentive to play music at as low a cost to the channel as possible versus playing the best music available to them.
by qoez on 2/4/25, 5:53 PM
by fallinditch on 2/4/25, 6:44 PM
One of the biggest impediments to new artists making a living from recorded music is not the existence of Spotify and other streaming platforms, rather it's the massive and growing library of existing music, some of which is excellent.
But it's not impossible. My neighbor manages his music career himself. In 2024 he went from having 250,000 monthly Spotify listeners to 800,000. A few months ago he was able to give up his job and devote himself to music full time - he is getting decent streaming royalty checks.
If you complain that Spotify is contributing to a generic and bland listening experience then that is totally your own fault. Spotify will give you excellent and adventurous listening experiences, but you have to put in the time to 'train' your personal algorithms first, mainly by liking tracks, saving albums and playlists, and making playlists. Also: by paying attention to DJs/curators and researching dark corners of the music blogosphere, SoundCloud and Mixcloud.
by roywiggins on 2/4/25, 5:58 PM
We can also just buy their albums like ye olden times. Buy tracks for $1.29 like ye slightly less olden times! If you have disposable income, buy albums! It's easy and also fun.
by calibas on 2/4/25, 6:25 PM
I trying to figure out where the author got this from? Audio hardware/software hasn't changed that much in 20 years, and Nujabes' lofi aesthetic seems intentional.
According to Wikipedia, it originated from an effect button on Roland samplers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lofi_hip-hop
by 999900000999 on 2/4/25, 6:16 PM
Lofi IS instrumental hip hop. Dilla was doing this in the 90s.
by rappatic on 2/4/25, 6:05 PM
by josefritzishere on 2/4/25, 6:09 PM
by dvngnt_ on 2/4/25, 5:56 PM
The AI generated stuff will probably be good for its intended purpose white noise with a beat to help you study but its unlikely you'll find you're next favorite artist
by briantakita on 2/4/25, 6:04 PM
The Musician's story adds to the vibe. If someone can relate to the creator, it helps to create more connection with the audience than a pure algorithm. The human curated/generated animations seem more coherent...even if it's on a loop.
I like some of the new AI animations for being novel...mostly futuristic. Though this will soon become common & something new will show up.
by renewiltord on 2/4/25, 5:49 PM
But whether any specific artist gets to play or not doesn't concern me that much. I've found that single artists rarely preserve the feel so much as ones in a genre.
by jrm4 on 2/4/25, 6:24 PM
Reminds me a bit of "nerdcore" hip-hop; which also made little sense because e.g. Del the Funkee Homosapien and RZA were also nerds making VERY nerdy music, but for "some reason" weren't seen as the same thing.
by cess11 on 2/4/25, 7:51 PM
by josefritzishere on 2/4/25, 5:50 PM
by fph on 2/4/25, 6:03 PM
With Youtube, I feel like I am the product, and they can't wait to put "sponsored" songs into my feed.
by nonrandomstring on 2/4/25, 6:10 PM
I can understand listening to genai music as a background space filler but music has more functions.
It is a signifier and mnemonic, and sets mood for production.
Everything on https://cybershow.uk is made in house, on the fly as needed. We mostly use Ardour, Audacity and some weird old computer music tools like Csound, Puredata, Supercollider for all the beds and backings, many of which are in the old-skool, lo-fi styles because these sit behind talk as 'beds' very nicely.
It would be easy to grab licensed tracks or use "AI" to make music, but we don't do that. That's mainly because its better to keep control over the feel and exactly craft everything. An example is this poetry episode [0] where everything is cut specifically for the poem, and this latest episode "Owned By Bots" where the grungy "crime beat" is a main feature [1]
by pipeline_peak on 2/4/25, 6:43 PM
by madmountaingoat on 2/4/25, 6:04 PM
by quintes on 2/4/25, 6:28 PM
For all it’s “Ai playlist promotion is bad” Spotify will only play things that someone somehow got through their editorals
by ToucanLoucan on 2/4/25, 5:50 PM
I've been called a Luddite so many times on this website asking basic questions of how in a world where your labor is required in order for you to earn a living these entire reams of people are meant to continue living, and nobody has an answer.
by trinsic2 on 2/4/25, 8:20 PM
Bandcamp might be a different story since it has a policy it stands by (for now), provides access to the music downloads and doesn't try to artificially alter their listings, but that can soon change with the new ownership.
by portaouflop on 2/4/25, 6:33 PM
Buy music directly from the artist or on bandcamp, stop supporting Spotify if you give a shit about music
by stuart78 on 2/4/25, 7:34 PM
by localbolu on 2/5/25, 4:12 PM
by jmuguy on 2/4/25, 6:32 PM
by joshdavham on 2/4/25, 6:47 PM
This is a really interesting quote. I definitely feel that there are analogies in other fields as well.
by hoppp on 2/5/25, 7:23 PM
by tantalor on 2/4/25, 6:24 PM
by d3rockk on 2/4/25, 6:40 PM
The Truth: Lofi Hip Hop continues to flourish far beyond the profit-prioritized walls of Spotify's garden, a meticulously manicured space where genuine discovery is choked out by the weeds of algorithmic control. True artistry is blossoming in the wilder, freer spaces online.
Also I really recommend Shlohmo & quickly quickly for some fresh Lofi.