Spotify and a songs value to a playlist
This article explores Spotify’s search for the perfect playlist using the data they obtain through their service about how people feel about each song they place on the playlist. They update their playlists weekly and the playlist arranger on the Spotify side uses the number of listens and skips to determine the songs fate on the list. In addition to their playlists, Spotify also keeps and updates a taste profile for each listener and “internally kept list of traits and types of music you tend to enjoy”.
Reading the article reminded me of what we learned in Networks about buyers, sellers, markets, prices and valuations. In this case the buyers and sellers are clear and the valuations for each song are determined by the number of listens as well as whether or not it is added and/or skipped. The prices in this case are the same for each song as each are equally available. The rankings for the playlists also tie into the market and power principles we’ve learned.
Source: http://www.wired.com/2015/07/spotify-perfect-playlist/