Your most average song, statistically, is going to be your most popular. Basically, a band’s most popular song on Spotify is most likely going to be a song that the streaming service has decided sounds the most like a lot of other kinds of music. That, in turn, boosts numbers for songs that fit a lot of varied criteria. If you’ve read about how Pavement’s most popular song on the service is a B-side from the Brighten the Corners era, you’re aware that Spotify takes elements of the music you’re listening to and “autoplays” songs if you don’t have anything cued up. This is all a tremendously convoluted way to explore a simple concept: what’s the most popular Beatles song for each album on Spotify? That’s a pretty basic measure of popularity, but what I find fascinating is how Spotify’s bizarre use of algorithms make certain songs more popular than others. With the advent of the internet, cultural distribution began to expand exponentially, to the point where almost every society is just a touch away from experiencing the traditions and ways of life of a different society halfway around the world. Cultural diffusion refers to the spread of any form of culture, whether it be language, music, film, religion, food, technology, or fashion, to other cultures and the subsequent adaptations and evolutions of the culture that follow.
The effect that streaming services have had on the music industry can even be viewed philosophically within the idea of cultural diffusion. Insufferable older generations will bemoan the fleeting nature of “viral” hits, but it’s hard to argue against the notion that the whims of consumers have been inundated with a far greater range of options, with a subsequent lack of time to properly take it all in. A concept that began in the mid-to-late 1990s, as media became increasingly digital in format, has blossomed (or corroded, depending on your view) into the modern music landscape, where labels are less important than ever, and tastes are more widely dispersed. Streaming services have revolutionised the way we all listen to music.
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