Spotify has ruined mood playlists – so our critics have made some better ones instead
Whether made by human hand or shady algorithm, emotion-based playlists are everywhere. But if you’re looking for a superior soundtrack to ‘all the feels’, get your ears round these selections from our music writers
July 2025
Four alternatives to Spotify: swapping is easier than you think
Artists and listeners are leaving the platform after its CEO invested in defence technology. Here are your options – along with how to keep your playlists
June 2025
AI, bot farms and innocent indie victims: how music streaming became a hotbed of fraud and fakery
Fraudsters use fake artists to juice royalties from streaming services – but real musicians are getting blamed. Might they be better off without Spotify et al?
March 2025
King Charles pays tribute to ‘marvellous’ Bob Marley as he shares favourite songs
Monarch recalls ‘infectious energy’ of late reggae singer in Apple Music broadcast to celebrate Commonwealth Day
November 2024
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is accused of sexual abuse. Why are his music streams rising?
Combs is the latest problematic artist to see his work break more ground on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube
March 2024
Danish man found guilty of fraudulently profiting from music streaming royalties
EU fines Apple €1.8bn over App Store restrictions on music streaming
February 2024
Danish man on trial over alleged £500k music streaming fraud
Aarhus court hears he may have profited from artificially generated playbacks, in case thought to be first of its kind
December 2023
Bittersweet symphonies: UK classical music 2023 in review
Amid the funding woes there were still bright spots this year, from Bach to Byrd, and the Rite to Rachmaninov, while the streaming world continued to evolve and expand
July 2023
What will Spotify’s price rise mean for its recording artists and songwriters?
Streaming services face a delicate balancing act – avoid pricing out customers and derailing a growing streaming market but make streaming pay more for music creators
May 2023
Kylie Minogue ‘bursting with joy’ as new single Padam Padam soars up charts
Track shunned by BBC Radio 1 and Capital when released finds singer a new audience via social media
February 2023
‘The hardest music to sell in the UK’: why is British R&B being ignored?
UK artists are big in the US but at home their music has mostly failed to break through – as the lack of nominations shows
November 2022
Make it pop! Do we really need the Beatles to sound new?
Classic songs are now remastered to compete with contemporary pop on streaming services. But what do we lose when Yellow Submarine is ‘de-mixed’ for generation playlist?
September 2022
Discovery channels
‘There’s endless choice, but you’re not listening’: fans quitting Spotify to save their love of music
Discovery channels
Has streaming made it harder to discover new music?
February 2022
Four alternatives to Spotify: swapping is easier than you think
Missing Joni and Neil? Here’s how to break up with Spotify
December 2021
Bad Bunny most-streamed artist on Spotify for second year running
The Puerto Rican star beats Taylor Swift and Drake, while Olivia Rodrigo continues meteoric rise as Spotify and Apple Music announce stats
April 2021
Paul McCartney and Kate Bush lead call for change to music streaming payments
The music streaming debate: what the artists, songwriters and industry insiders say
