Is Spotify’s AI ‘killing’ Australian music? What we found from analysing more than 2 million tracks

2026-03-17 · Source: Artificial intelligence (AI) – The Conversation · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Data Science & Analytics · Depth: Intermediate, quick

Summary

A previous report by former Spotify chief economist Will Page claimed music streaming algorithms were "killing" Australian music, citing a 30% drop in Australian artists in top streamed lists between 2021 and 2024. However, new research commissioned by the Victorian Music Development Office, focusing on Spotify and analyzing 2.27 million tracks across seven English-speaking countries, found no evidence of music being "killed" but confirmed algorithms create difficult conditions for less-established artists. The study revealed that AI-generated playlists heavily rely on global listening patterns, are less diverse than editorial playlists, and accentuate US dominance by reproducing US tastes as global "norms." These AI recommendations draw from significantly fewer unique tracks and disproportionately favor established artists (77% of US tracks vs. 22% of Australian tracks), creating a "rich get richer" dynamic that disadvantages emerging artists and forms "filter bubbles."

Key takeaway

AI-driven music streaming algorithms, like Spotify's, create a "rich get richer" dynamic that significantly disadvantages less-established and local artists. Analysis of 2.27M tracks shows AI playlists are less diverse, draw from only a quarter as many unique tracks as editorial playlists, and heavily favor established US artists (77% of US tracks vs. 22% of Australian). This algorithmic bias perpetuates filter bubbles, hindering emerging talent's visibility and highlighting a critical need for recommender system designers to integrate fairness and cultural diversity.

Topics

• Music Streaming Algorithms
• Algorithmic Bias
• Music Discovery
• Recommender Systems
• User Engagement

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Artificial intelligence (AI) – The Conversation.