Meet the editors crafting some of Spotify's top playlists

[vchimpanzee]

Meet the Editors Crafting Some of Spotify’s Top Playlists: ‘I Can Assure You We’re Not AI’

Spotify's playlist editors discuss AI, reveal how they compile the platform's flagship listening stations and share misconceptions about their roles.

www.billboard.com

 

[davideduardo]

Interesting that Spotify calls their programmers "curators" such as you would find in a museum. That term gives an interesting perspective.

What I liked most was the "curator" who disclaimed that songs were picked based on "favors" and personal preference by saying that the most exciting thing was when the audience taste and personal taste coincided in a good song.

 

[TheBigA]

Interesting that Spotify calls their programmers "curators" such as you would find in a museum.

It's because they technically don't "program" these things. But they assist in how the music is utilized. I was at a seminar where one of these people was saying she had to decide the genre of a particular song. You'd think that would be done at the record label, but apparently not. An artist was signed as a pop artist by the label's NY office. But the "curator" of the country playlist thought it was country. So she made a decision to offer this song to users who are looking for new country songs. At the exact same time, a radio programmer in Denver heard the same song, and started playing it on his country station. So they kind of perform similar functions in terms of music, but they don't oversee talent or deal with any of the legal or budgeting issues of programming a radio station.

What I liked most was the "curator" who disclaimed that songs were picked based on "favors" and personal preference by saying that the most exciting thing was when the audience taste and personal taste coincided in a good song.

All of the labels have promotion people who work the streaming services, just like radio. So yes, at some point, the music gets to the audience, and their taste plays a part. But before that, the record label and these streaming gatekeepers also play a role. In a way, they're similar to format captains at the big radio companies. They might also compare themselves to social media influencers.