back in the days last.fm had similar functionality, at least I discovered many artists that are my favourites now there.
But I'm struggling with Spotify Discover:
- Discover Weekly includes tracks that I have listened to before on Spotify. At first I thought it is a bug, but then I read somewhere else that it is a feature as somebody thought that people like hearing something familiar among new songs. Well, not me, but, OK, let it be.
- there is no option to ban tracks or artists for life in Spotify
- there are many independent and not so independent artists on Spotify with questionable quality (to my taste)
Combining all 3 above, in my Discovery Weekly I get tracks that I absolutely hate and I have to skip them. And they come up again and again as there is no way to tell Spotify - please stop delivering this track/artist to me.
In last.fm I encountered cases where it suggested me artists that I absolutely hated. I could see how it was similar to my other favourites, but apparently the algorithms did not see why I should hate this. At least last.fm allowed to ban those tracks forever. It still did not allow to ban artist so I had to ban all tracks for that artist (as the algorithm still suggested other tracks by the artists whose tracks I had ban before).
In addition, it is true that distribution industry is/was gatekeeper to many artists, but at the same time it saved me from all the low quality music that I am exposed to in Spotify. Instead now I have to spend my own time to filter that out (which generally applies to all information in this age).
Overall I would have better experience in Spotify if there was this ban feature. Although there are feature requests about banning songs, Spotify is not rushing implementing this. Then I'm left thinking if Spotify is worth it and should I cancel my subscription.
Most likely, but taking into consideration taxes the decrease could be smaller.
Some countries have progressive income tax. So it depends on salary, but it could be that by working 20% less you receive only 15% less.
But I'm struggling with Spotify Discover: - Discover Weekly includes tracks that I have listened to before on Spotify. At first I thought it is a bug, but then I read somewhere else that it is a feature as somebody thought that people like hearing something familiar among new songs. Well, not me, but, OK, let it be. - there is no option to ban tracks or artists for life in Spotify - there are many independent and not so independent artists on Spotify with questionable quality (to my taste)
Combining all 3 above, in my Discovery Weekly I get tracks that I absolutely hate and I have to skip them. And they come up again and again as there is no way to tell Spotify - please stop delivering this track/artist to me. In last.fm I encountered cases where it suggested me artists that I absolutely hated. I could see how it was similar to my other favourites, but apparently the algorithms did not see why I should hate this. At least last.fm allowed to ban those tracks forever. It still did not allow to ban artist so I had to ban all tracks for that artist (as the algorithm still suggested other tracks by the artists whose tracks I had ban before). In addition, it is true that distribution industry is/was gatekeeper to many artists, but at the same time it saved me from all the low quality music that I am exposed to in Spotify. Instead now I have to spend my own time to filter that out (which generally applies to all information in this age).
Overall I would have better experience in Spotify if there was this ban feature. Although there are feature requests about banning songs, Spotify is not rushing implementing this. Then I'm left thinking if Spotify is worth it and should I cancel my subscription.