In the past ten years we have seen an amazing amount of technological development, but nothing compares to what is coming next. Spotify and Ancestry.com have joined forces to offer audiences the ability to tether their genetics to their listening preferences. Listeners will then have to opportunity to listen to music that directly linked to their heritage, but also follows suit with their current listening preferences. This collaboration brings a whole new meaning to the idea of personalized playlists, perhaps, a meaning we are not quite ready for.
Perhaps, the collaboration between Ancestry and Spotify isn’t such a great idea. This article from Spin offers readers a cautionary word of advice, suggesting that this collaboration has greater implications outside of a more personalized listening experience. According to a ThinkProgress investigation, Ancestry.com obtains a sort of legal dominance over your genetic code once you sign up for the program. Essentially, users would be giving up ownership of their own DNA and the DNA of their relatives/descendants. Furthermore, companies such as Spotify are obsessed with using Big Data, personal preferences, metrics, location services and more to get closer to their audience. Regardless, it seems that these types of companies are beginning to hit a little too close to home for some users.
Attention Spotify users, you have been warned! It seems that innocent listening habits reveal more about you than you know. This article from the Daily Bruin suggests that companies such as Spotify can track when you exercise, when you work, when you eat dinner and when you sleep based on when and what you listen to. Listeners are becoming accustomed to having preloaded playlists at their fingertips. Instead of making a conscious decision of what songs and artists they are listening to, listeners find a playlist that matches their mood and let Spotify do the rest. This diffusion of responsibility is allowing companies (not just Spotify) influence the kinds of decisions that users make, training them to use products in a way that benefits the companies themselves. Furthermore, this process is sending many artists through hoops as they scrounge for a way into these highly influential playlists. Before you decide to press play, take a second to think about who is really in control of your listening experience… you or the provider?
Leading headphone company, Sennheiser is teaming up with AR company, Magic Leap, to release very exciting new technology. Sennheiser will be developing spatial 3D audio products to be used with products such as the Magic Leap One Creator Edition. While there is still a fair amount of secrecy about what is to come from the partnership, Sennheiser suggests that more information will be released at Magic Leap’s LA conference. Stay tuned for what lies ahead!
Surviving members of the legendary group, Led Zeppelin are trying their hand in the music streaming business. The rockers, now in their 70’s, are in the process of developing a service, called The Led Zeppelin Experience, that will showcase the groups live recordings exclusively. However, the title will also cover other project materials including a slew of apparel and merchandise. With next year being the band’s 50th year, this is just one of the many surprises yet to come.
