VOX  CEPR Policy Portal

Streaming platforms give a diverse range of music creators direct access to large audiences, but whether their songs reach these audiences can depend on the platforms’ decisions about what to promote. This column examines the impact of inclusion on Spotify playlists. The overall effect of appearing on the Spotify-curated Today's Top Hits playlist is about 19.4 million streams on average. Inclusion in top selling or new music playlists also has a significant impact on song success. The results suggest that growing concentration in the streaming market, as well as other markets dominated by one or a few players, may create a need for scrutiny of how platforms exercise their power.