Are you in love with Spotify?
Yeah, me too!
I remember when it first started – it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g! I was super excited by all the possibilities, and how great it was to be able to find new music without paying for it!
Nowaways I still love Spotify for personal listening, but you’ll never hear me DJ from it.
I’ll explain.
What I love about Spotify
- It’s great to be able to listen to a range of music that I don’t already have, or to use Spotify Radio to find new music based on what I already know I love.
- I enjoy being able to browse a range of music by an artist, then making a short-list before buying a selection of my favourite tracks.
- I like being able to find associated artists and exploring their music too. I have ‘found’ some amazing new artists and songs this way.
- My favourite reason for keeping my Spotify account open is so that when I am working as a Head DJ for an event, I can collate music from all my DJ team and easily share it.
What I don’t love about Spotify
- I select which songs I play through my own system of tags and notes – something that isn’t possible on Spotify.
- I use DJ software that allows me to play out and preview my music simultaneously.
- My DJ software includes EQ controls so if I can’t access the mixer from my DJ station I can still adjust the sound quality.
- Not all music is available on Spotify.
- I like to know that I ‘own’ the music I play. I buy my music from lots of places – including buying CDs (sometimes having them shipped from the US).
- I like to support independent musicians through BandCamp or from buying a CD directly from the band.
- I love to play music that other DJs don’t play, and that includes music that is harder to find.
- I love the excitement of ‘the chase’ to find new music.
“If I want a particular song, there is no stone I will leave unturned in order to find it.”
The truth about royalties
Last, but by no means least, it is worth giving a thought to musicians and what they stand to receive in royalties from their music being accessed via different sources.
So, if you’ve ever asked me to share a Spotify playlist, and I said, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t.’ now you’ll know some of the reasons why.
(But if you come and ask me for the name of a song, I’ll be thrilled that you love it enough to ask so I’ll always tell you.)