The “Death to Spotify” movement is more than just a protest; it’s an act of collective imagination. At its heart, the initiative is not simply about tearing down the current streaming monopoly but about actively building a new, decentralized, and more equitable music ecosystem to take its place.
The vision for this post-Spotify world is one of diversity and direct connection. Instead of a single, dominant platform, it would feature a network of smaller, interoperable systems. Platforms like Bandcamp would play a key role, facilitating direct financial transactions between artists and fans. Community-run radio stations, both online and terrestrial, would supplant corporate algorithms as the primary drivers of music discovery.
In this future, the album as an art form would see a resurgence. By moving away from a track-based, playlist-centric model, artists could encourage listeners to engage with their work as a cohesive whole. Physical media like vinyl and CDs would continue their revival, not just as niche collector’s items, but as a preferred format for high-quality, intentional listening.
Financial structures would also be radically different. The Union of Musicians and Allied Workers’ push for a Living Wages for Musicians Act offers a glimpse of what this could look like, with government-regulated royalty pools ensuring fair compensation. Crowdfunding and subscription models like Patreon would become even more central, allowing fans to act as patrons for their favorite creators.
Ultimately, the goal is to re-center the music ecosystem around the artist and the community, rather than the corporation. It’s a future where, as the Oakland organizers put it, music discovery, production, and listening are freed from “capitalist economies.” While the path to this future is challenging, the movement is providing the crucial first step: a clear and compelling vision of what could be.