Blog: playlists

Read our latest daily deep dives, hot takes, and exciting updates about the digital entertainment world. Check out the latest from your favourite analyst, or search by coverage - games, video, music, audio, social, or critical developments.

Background music is a short-term win for DSPs – but it could be a long-term problem

Cover image for Background music is a short-term win for DSPs – but it could be a long-term problem

Olivia Jones

23 Jan 2025

Business Strategy

Note: Following the publication of this piece, Spotify released a statement regarding Pelly's article, which is reproduced in full at the bottom of this page. In this month’s issue of Harper’s Magazine...

min read

As Spotify corners audiobooks, Audible eyes functional audio

Cover image for As Spotify corners audiobooks, Audible eyes functional audio

Rutger Rosenborg

22 Mar 2024

Over the course of 30 years, Audible’s catalogue has grown to include more than 470,000 audiobooks, at least according to their own ads . In less than a year, Spotify’s catalogue has grown to include...

min read

Will 2024 be the year of podcast unbundling?

Cover image for Will 2024 be the year of podcast unbundling?

Rutger Rosenborg

21 Dec 2023

spotify podcasts

Before Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix disrupted music and video, bundled consumption helped drive profitability. From albums to TV networks, consumer preferences were largely dictated by the bundle, allowing...

min read

How YouTube’s format fluidity is ushering in a new era for entertainment

Cover image for How YouTube’s format fluidity is ushering in a new era for entertainment

Annie Langston

29 Mar 2023

As part of its official podcast rollout, YouTube has launched new podcast features and metrics in its YouTube Studio, although these features do not appear to be available for audio podcasts on YouTube...

min read

Spotify’s vertical feed could change music discovery, but not for the reason you think

Cover image for Spotify’s vertical feed could change music discovery, but not for the reason you think

Tatiana Cirisano

9 Mar 2023

Music streaming

Just a few years ago, Spotify’s Rap Caviar playlist was a harbinger for culture. But a lot has changed. Artists want (and need) to build deeper relationships with fans, and gen Z consumers want more...

min read

Spotify shines RADAR spotlight on podcast creators

Cover image for Spotify shines RADAR spotlight on podcast creators

Annie Langston

6 Jul 2022

Discoverability remains a core challenge for podcast creators in the audio market. We previously discussed the responsibility of audience platforms to amplify independent voices, with editorial spaces...

min read

Time to stop playing the velocity game

Cover image for Time to stop playing the velocity game

Mark Mulligan

3 Jul 2020

music marketing

We all know that streaming has transformed consumption and business models alike, but this is not a ‘now-completed’ process. Instead it is one that continues to evolve at pace, and the dynamic of pace...

min read

The Music Industry’s Next Five Growth Drivers

Cover image for The Music Industry’s Next Five Growth Drivers

Mark Mulligan

22 May 2020

The risk with trying to imagine what the future might look like is to simply think it is going to be a brighter, shinier version of today. At this precise moment in time, this has perhaps never been truer. ...

min read

Spotify Takes Aim at Radio, Again

Cover image for Spotify Takes Aim at Radio, Again

Mark Mulligan

13 Jun 2019

ad supported streaming

ad supported streaming audio

Spotify has launched a radio-like feature set for premium subscribers in the US called Your Daily Drive. Although it is only positioned as a playlist, the content mix includes podcast news content...

min read

Playlist Malfeasance Will Create a Streaming Crisis

Mark Mulligan

9 May 2019

per stream rates

Streaming economics are facing a potential crisis. The problem does not lie in the market itself; after all, in Q1 2019 streaming revenue became more than half of the recorded music business and Spotify...

min read

Spotify, the Decline of Playlists and the Rise of Podcasts

Cover image for Spotify, the Decline of Playlists and the Rise of Podcasts

Mark Mulligan

11 Apr 2019

curated playlists

The following is a small excerpt from MIDiA’s forthcoming third edition of its ‘landmark State of the Streaming Nation’ report. For more information about this report email stephen@midiaresearch.com...

min read

Quick Take: Spotify’s Throwback Hub and the Future of the Album

Zach Fuller

4 Apr 2019

Music streaming

Throwback Thursday, one of Spotify’s most popular features, has been expanded into a new Throwback hub. Launching initially with 30 playlists and described by Austin Daboh, Head of Music Culture &...

min read

10 Trends That Will Reshape the Music Industry

Cover image for 10 Trends That Will Reshape the Music Industry

Mark Mulligan

3 Apr 2019

The IFPI has reported that global recorded music revenues have hit $19.1 billion, which means that MIDiA’sownestimatespublished in Marchwere within 1.6% of the actual results . This revenue growth story...

min read

What’s Next For Playlist Innovation?

Keith Jopling

4 Mar 2019

product innovation

In this era of access to all music and everything about it, I do enjoy reading artist interviews, and pay attention to artists’ views on the modern music industry. What caught me recently were Mark Ronson’s...

min read

Do Playlists Make the Power Law in Music Even More Extreme?

Zach Fuller

31 May 2018

Music streaming

Music has always been a superstar economy. Data going back to the 50s shows that, like many other areas of life and business, a disproportionate amount of the results come from a small number of factors....

min read

Majors Get The Tracks But Not The Longevity On Today’s Top Hits

Cover image for Majors Get The Tracks But Not The Longevity On Today’s Top Hits

Mark Mulligan

27 Nov 2017

A post by Chartmetric’s Sung Cho diving into Spotify playlist metrics caught my attention, and one aspect in particular: how the major labels dominate the flagship Spotify playlist Today’s Top Hits....

min read

Introducing MIDiA's Streaming Music Health Check

Mark Mulligan

10 Jan 2017

2nd quarter 2016

We are pleased to announce the arrival of the following MIDiA report on our report store: 'Streaming Music Health Check: Streaming’s Watershed Moment'. You can purchase the report here. MIDiA Research...

min read

Chart Of The Week. Playlists 1, Albums 0 – How Streaming Is Changing Music Listening

Cover image for Chart Of The Week. Playlists 1, Albums 0 – How Streaming Is Changing Music Listening

Mark Mulligan

21 Mar 2016

Chart Of The Week

Chart Of The Week

The album has been under assault ever since Napster first gave consumers the ability cherry pick their favourite tracks and leave the filler behind. Apple formalised the process with the iTunes Store and...

min read

MIDiA Chart Of The Week: Listening Habits Of Streaming Music Consumers

Cover image for MIDiA Chart Of The Week: Listening Habits Of Streaming Music Consumers

Mark Mulligan

2 Nov 2015

Chart Of The Week

Although the relatively early stage of development of the streaming market means that most listening habits are not yet being changed, there are fundamental shifts emerging among streamers and subscribers...

min read