Remember that epic post we did back in January, ‘The unflattening of music’? (Which, by the way, was built on two other posts… it’s posts all the way down!). Well, grab your favorite beverage and a comfy chair, because we’re going deeper down the rabbit hole.
The music streaming world is starting to sound like a creaky old house. For years, we’ve been hearing little cracks and pops in the foundation. Now, it feels like those little fissures are starting to join up into one big, undeniable crack in the living room wall. We’re not at the “whole roof caves in” stage yet, but it’s definitely time to call a contractor.
And we have to fix it. Why? Because streaming is basically the entire recorded music industry’s paycheck at this point. Just shrugging and waiting for the next big thing isn’t an option unless we want a lot of amazing artists to have to get really good at waiting tables.
Here’s the weirdest part of the whole problem: The people who are actually causing the problem—the listeners—are perfectly happy. It’s like everyone in the restaurant kitchen is having a meltdown, but the customers out front are just happily munching on their breadsticks, oblivious. That’s the paradox we need to solve.
The Great Aficionado vs. Passive Listener Split
Think back to Spotify’s early days, 16 years ago. It was basically a gigantic, digital music nerd’s basement. You needed to know what you were looking for. It was glorious, and it quickly made downloading music look as cool as a flip phone.
But then something happened. Streaming got popular. Really popular. It successfully upgraded millions of passive radio listeners and casual music buyers into subscribers. This was a huge win! But there’s a catch: for every one music nerd (aka “superfan™”), there are about six of these more casual listeners.
Naturally, the apps evolved to serve the majority. The experience became smoother, more passive, and algorithmically perfect for background listening. In doing so, music started to become a commodity—a utility, like water or electricity. Awesome for convenience, terrible for culture.
The big economic oopsie? Streaming charges the superfan and the passive listener the exact same monthly fee for the exact same product. Is it any wonder that superfans now show their love (and spend their extra cash) on concerts and merch instead? They’re looking for a way to express their fandom, and streaming just gives them a “play” button.
The Cure for the Common Stream: A Little Bit of Friction
This might sound crazy, but hear us out: streaming has become too convenient. It needs to introduce some “good” friction.
Wait, don’t leave! Friction isn’t always a bad thing. Think about the satisfying burn after a good workout, the pride of finishing a long book, or the thrill of finally beating a ridiculously hard level in a video game. Games are literally built on friction-and-reward mechanics!
Music discovery used to be full of this “good” friction. It was an adventure! You had to decode snobby music reviews, stay up late to tape songs off the radio, or spend hours crate-digging in a record store, hoping the cool employee would throw you a bone. The reward for that effort? The glorious feeling of unearthing a hidden gem that felt like yours.
That feeling is almost entirely missing from streaming today. It’s no wonder Gen Z is ironically flocking back to vinyl—they’re craving that sense of reward and identity that algorithms can’t provide.
So, What’s the Plan?
We need to design streaming services that can be both things:
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Friction-free paradise for when you just want a workout playlist.
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An engaging playground for when you want to “dive in” and geek out.
The key is to make it optional. The solution is to create invitations to do more, tied directly to your identity as a fan.
Imagine earning a “Hidden Gem Hunter” badge on your profile (why don’t we have public profiles yet?! It’s 2025!) for spending time in a new “deep dive” mode. I hate to use the corporate buzzword, but yes, a little gamification is needed. Music is supposed to be fun! Endlessly listening to the same algorithmically-generated “Chill Vibes” playlist isn’t fun; it’s auditory wallpaper.
Bringing back “good” friction won’t solve every problem. Fixing streaming’s flatness requires a whole new blueprint. And hey, wouldn’t you know it… MIDiA is working on a massive new report doing exactly that. The humbly titled ‘Future of Streaming’ report will be landing soon. Consider this your official invitation to get excited.