It's possible to be happy for one artist while also wanting better for others. That's the conclusion from an exchange between the artist and the streaming service.
The auto-shuffle feature on the premium version of her new album, 30, has been removed. The tracks on the platform will not be randomized by default. 30's songs will play in the order designed for the album, unless the listener chooses to shuffle them.
"We don't create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason," the winner wrote. Our art tells a story and we should listen to it. Thank you for listening.
"Anything for you," the official account wrote in response, adding prayer hands and sparkle to highlight what seemed like a not-so-great point.
It's possible that Tweet has been deleted.
Fans argued that the feature should be available to all artists. The shuffle feature is not being removed altogether, which was confusing, but it is not. A fan shared a old Lady Gaga message to underscore the point of equity between artists.
Gaga wrote that she needed to shuffle her true story and that she should listen from the beginning to the end.
It's possible that Tweet has been deleted.
Those of power and privilege have long had questions about who gets to tell their stories. The issue of how these works are presented is becoming more and more contentious as the music industry changes with the digital landscape. The good news is that the message is getting through to Spotify that this is a problem.
The auto-shuffle feature on the premium version of the platform will soon be removed, a Spotify spokesman told Mashable.
They said that they have begun rolling out a new Premium feature that has been requested by both users and artists to make play the default button on all albums. To shuffle an album, users can go to the Now Playing View and select the shuffle option. We will continue to make the best experiences for both artists and their fans.
The free version of the platform means that auto-shuffle will remain for any listeners who use it. That undermines the point of removing the feature from an artistic standpoint since it's similar to the number of ad-supported users. This small change doesn't address the problematic role that Spotify plays in the ongoing fight to get streaming artists properly compensated.
The ad-supported '30' and the premium '30' are on the site. The shuffle icon has been removed. The image is from Alison Foreman/Spotify.
In a month full of major music news, it's a promising sign. The journey to put the music industry back into the hands of musicians is riding a strong updraft after Taylor Swift reclaimed Red. Let's hope the tables keep turning and bad faith doesn't return.
