Picture this: you're scrolling through Spotify, landing on a playlist that hits every note just right. But what's really powering that perfection? Mood Machine by Liz Pelly pulls back the curtain on Spotify's rise, blending sharp journalism with cultural insight to show how streaming has transformed music for everyone involved.
The music business has always been murky, but streaming made it murkier. Listeners hand over cash and data; artists supply the soundtrack. Pelly, drawing from years of reporting and chats with former Spotify staff, label execs, and musicians, spotlights gritty realities—like playlists stuffed with cheap stock tracks or sneaky payola revivals. It's not just numbers; it's how your daily jams get curated, often prioritizing algorithms over artistry.
Autoplay, endless personalization, consolidated powerhouses—these features hook us but homogenize what we hear. Artists fight for scraps in a 'two-sided marketplace' that's anything but balanced. Yet Pelly doesn't stop at critique. She highlights artist-led pushes for change, from collective bargaining to alternative platforms, offering a roadmap to value music properly.
At around 400 pages of dense, accessible prose, it's a Kindle must-read for music lovers questioning their habits. Feel the frustration of underpaid creators through vivid stories; sense hope in grassroots movements. Next time you hit play, you'll notice the playlist politics. Share it at your next vinyl night or book club—it's sparked debates on podcasts and in reviews alike.
Winner of ARSC accolades and a Washington Post notable, Mood Machine isn't dry analysis. It's a wake-up call that sticks, blending New Yorker-level reporting with GQ flair. Grab the Kindle edition and rethink streaming's grip on soundtracks worldwide.
