I posted some time ago about how disappointed I was in Filterworld, to the point that I DNF. Chayka's insights on the actual business of streaming fell far short compared to his personal misgivings about the spending habits of millennials, and his lack of meaningful suggestions in the first half made the book a slog for me. So I was excited to take a peek at Mood Machine to really understand what was happening to the music industry due to the Spotify streaming model.
I'm happy to report that, so far, it's been a blast! The interviews are interesting, the history is pretty well presented and it's clear from the jump that Daniel Ek and the rest of the music executives essentially sought to destroy the intellectual value of modern music. I'm not super far into it so there's definitely time for it to fall apart, but so far, it's a much better read for anyone seeking to understand the corrosive effect of the streaming industry on music as an artform.
Can't recommend it enough.
by SecretBox