A2IM, the independent label community and Music Managers Forum-US (representing its membership of artist managers and self-managed artists), fully support the concerns about Spotify’s Discovery Mode program expressed by the Artists Rights Alliance and so many of the artists we work with.
Spotify is marketing Discovery Mode as a tool that allows artists and labels to choose specific tracks to be algorithmically served to listeners. What is important to note about this program is that access to this tool is available only to artists who are willing to accept a reduction in royalty payment for the track’s inclusion in the program. Listeners will be presented with songs based on the acceptance of a much lower payment to artists. This will move significant amounts of money away from artists who so badly need it, and it represents a dangerous fundamental change to the value of music. Many artists have already said that they are not making enough from streaming to survive on, yet this program will create the conditions for a race to the bottom, reducing the overall royalties paid to artists.
At the moment, Spotify says Discovery Mode will only apply to the radio and autoplay playlists (the tracks you hear when the playlist or album you were listening to ends). Make no mistake, Spotify is explicitly clear that they intend to expand this “pay for play” program to other “personalized” areas of the service.
More opportunities to connect with new listeners and innovative tools are always appreciated, but Discovery Mode brings into question the credibility of Spotify’s recommendation engine. From its beginning Spotify proudly stated that it would be a good partner and maintain a democratized service that would never allow the proverbial “thumb on the scale.” Again, and again, we were assured that all artists would have a fair and impartial chance of success. We were promised that the quality of the music and the preferences of listeners would determine success -- not money. "Discovery Mode" breaks that promise. Discovery Mode allows money to be a deciding factor as to which music is surfaced to listeners. Discovery Mode tilts what had been a level playing field for artists. Discovery Mode misleads listeners who believe they are being presented with music based exclusively on their established preferences.
Spotify began as a revolutionary champion of artists and rights holders that promised to save the recorded music industry from piracy and payola. For 13 years, Spotify, recording artists, and rights holders have worked symbiotically towards a shared vision, to build an equitable global music streaming economy. Now, having supplanted the previous gatekeepers, we urge Spotify not to abandon its founding values and intentions.
We respectfully request that Spotify guards itself against the impulses that every previous dominant gatekeeper in our industry has surrendered to. We humbly ask Spotify to consider the well-being of each and every hard-working artist and rights holder, and the tens of thousands of people who work to support them. There has never been a more important moment to honor the integrity of the system that Spotify has built, than during this unprecedentedly challenging time when other revenue streams such as touring have been eliminated. We beg you to put the long-term health of our shared industry ahead of the pursuit of increased margin. Please work with us to create growth opportunities that are in line with your founding values and intentions. We want to continue our collaboration as great partners.
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of nearly 700 independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector.
NEWS
Lola Young has joined forces with Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to release a new T shirt for the charity’s Lifelines collection.
The shirt supports CALM’s suicide prevention work, with proceeds helping to fund vital resources such as its helpline and CALMzone mental health app.
CALM introduced the Lifelines range last year, with Fontaines D.C., Blossoms and Inhaler also contributing their own designs to the collection.
Young’s design includes the words, “There’s a flicker of light. There’s always morning after the night”, taken from her track ‘Flicker Of Light’.
“I wrote this song about realising there is hope. I have often felt like there isn’t, but there is always a reason to keep going,” Young said. “That’s even when you don’t want to get out of bed, you do, and that is amazing, and you’re still here, and you’re still alive, and if anything, that’s something to be proud of.”
CALM CEO Simon Gunning also shared his appreciation for the collaboration, saying: “We couldn’t be more grateful to Lola for supporting ‘Lifelines’ and showing just how powerful music can be as a force for good.”
Priced at £30, the T shirts come in both standard and boxy fits and are available to purchase here.
Young has regularly spoken about her experiences with mental health. She returned to performing earlier this year after calling off her 2025 tour because of exhaustion. The decision followed her collapse during a performance in New York City. During her time away, she later discussed receiving support for addiction and attending AA meetings as part of her recovery.
In an interview with NME in May, Young explained that she believes “all healing journeys are never ending”, although she is now “definitely in a much better place”. She also said she feels “excited and ready to perform and to release music”.
Reflecting on the encouragement she received after publicly discussing those challenges, Young said: “My fans inspire me in the same way I hope to inspire them. I feel like I’ve never tried to be especially honest… it just comes very naturally to me.”
“I don’t really have any other choice but to be honest, so if people connect to that, and that’s amazing.”
Several musicians have also applauded the ‘Messy’ singer for honestly addressing the pressure placed on touring performers. Lily Allen said she was “in awe” of the BRIT and Grammy winner, while Victoria Canal credited Young with bringing greater attention to the damaging impact demanding tour schedules can have on artists’ mental wellbeing.
When NME asked whether musicians were beginning to establish firmer boundaries around their health, Young replied: “I never intended it to start a movement, but I hope that it does in some way.”
