The music streaming wars may finally have a glimmer of hope for artists and music lovers alike. As Spotify continues to face mounting criticism over its practices and algorithms, a new generation of independent streaming services is stepping up to offer an alternative. With a growing number of platforms emerging, including Nina Protocol, Coda, Subvert, Lissen, Vocana, Cantilever, and others, the question on everyone's mind is: can these upstart players bring about real change?
Each of these new platforms has its own unique identity, but they share a common goal – to provide artists with more control over their music and a better deal for fans. Nina Protocol, for example, uses an open public network where artists set their terms and keep 100% of any revenue from downloads. Cantilever takes inspiration from curated film streaming platforms like Mubi, offering a limited and rotating number of albums at a time. Subvert, on the other hand, is a collectively owned platform that aims to be an alternative to Bandcamp.
One of the key differentiators for these new services is curation – a sense of community and a focus on artist-friendly practices. Nina Protocol's Mike Pollard says, "We strongly believe the future of music is independent." This approach is already paying off, with the platform struggling to keep up with inbound interest and the newly launched Cantilever seeing listener numbers surpass expectations in its first week.
Spotify, however, remains dismissive of these new entrants. The company claims that more artists are earning more than ever, despite growing criticism over its practices. But Pollard disagrees, saying he can "see a world where Spotify doesn't exist in the future." Instead, he believes there is a wider cultural shift taking place, with people becoming more aware of the need for control and intentionality in their consumption.
This shift is already being felt in other areas, such as social media. The recent exodus from X (formerly Twitter) to alternative platforms like Mastodon has shown that users are willing to take a stand against what they perceive as "slop-filled" content. Similarly, music fans are beginning to demand more from their streaming services.
As the music streaming landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear – the old guard may not be as invincible as they once seemed. The rise of independent platforms like Nina Protocol and Cantilever offers a glimmer of hope for artists and fans alike. It's time to take control of our musical choices and demand better from those who claim to represent us.
With the likes of Spotify still dominating the market, it remains to be seen whether these new players can truly challenge the status quo. But as Pollard so eloquently puts it, "people are waking up" – and this time, they're not just going through the motions. The future of music streaming may finally have a real alternative.
Each of these new platforms has its own unique identity, but they share a common goal – to provide artists with more control over their music and a better deal for fans. Nina Protocol, for example, uses an open public network where artists set their terms and keep 100% of any revenue from downloads. Cantilever takes inspiration from curated film streaming platforms like Mubi, offering a limited and rotating number of albums at a time. Subvert, on the other hand, is a collectively owned platform that aims to be an alternative to Bandcamp.
One of the key differentiators for these new services is curation – a sense of community and a focus on artist-friendly practices. Nina Protocol's Mike Pollard says, "We strongly believe the future of music is independent." This approach is already paying off, with the platform struggling to keep up with inbound interest and the newly launched Cantilever seeing listener numbers surpass expectations in its first week.
Spotify, however, remains dismissive of these new entrants. The company claims that more artists are earning more than ever, despite growing criticism over its practices. But Pollard disagrees, saying he can "see a world where Spotify doesn't exist in the future." Instead, he believes there is a wider cultural shift taking place, with people becoming more aware of the need for control and intentionality in their consumption.
This shift is already being felt in other areas, such as social media. The recent exodus from X (formerly Twitter) to alternative platforms like Mastodon has shown that users are willing to take a stand against what they perceive as "slop-filled" content. Similarly, music fans are beginning to demand more from their streaming services.
As the music streaming landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear – the old guard may not be as invincible as they once seemed. The rise of independent platforms like Nina Protocol and Cantilever offers a glimmer of hope for artists and fans alike. It's time to take control of our musical choices and demand better from those who claim to represent us.
With the likes of Spotify still dominating the market, it remains to be seen whether these new players can truly challenge the status quo. But as Pollard so eloquently puts it, "people are waking up" – and this time, they're not just going through the motions. The future of music streaming may finally have a real alternative.
and it looks like ppl r finally demanding better from their fave streaming services 
These new indie platforms are like a breath of fresh air! I mean, who doesn't want to support artists directly and see more control over their music? It's about time someone shook things up in the industry 
. And let's be real, Spotify can only keep being so... meh 
. The fact that Nina Protocol is keeping 100% of the revenue from downloads is literally a game-changer 
. Can't wait to see more platforms like this popping up and giving fans a better deal 
. It's all about taking control of our music choices and demanding better, you know? 
These new platforms are offering artists a better deal and fans more control over their playlists. I mean, who doesn't want to support the creators they love without all the extra drama? Cantilever's curated approach is genius – it's like having a personalized mix tape on steroids 
Nina Protocol's 100% artist payout is a game changer too 
We need more platforms like this that prioritize artist well-being. And I'm loving how these new entrants are being transparent about their practices, unlike some other big players 
The people have spoken, and it's time for Spotify to step up its game or risk getting left behind 
. it's like, we're finally starting to wake up and realize that our consumption habits have consequences... can't wait to see what happens next 
its about time someone else is stepping in to give artists a fair deal 
we need more of these kind of vibes in the music industry 
I'm loving the fact that new platforms like Nina Protocol and Cantilever are popping up! It's about time someone shook things up for artists who are getting screwed over by Spotify 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out, but one thing's for sure: people are definitely waking up to the reality of music streaming 
. It's time for change! 
. Like, I've been saying Spotify's algorithms are whack for ages 
, and Cantilever's curation thing is right up my alley 
. But for real tho, it's gonna take some time for these new platforms to catch on and challenge Spotify's dominance 
. Still, I'm optimistic that we're on the cusp of a cultural shift and music lovers will start demanding better from their streaming services 
.
And let's be real, Spotify's been getting slammed for its lack of transparency and questionable decision-making 
.
. We need to start holding platforms accountable for how they treat artists and consumers 
. Bring on the change 
!
and cantilever's curated approach might just work better than random playlists on Spotify anyway 
Those new streaming services like Nina Protocol and Cantilever are giving me hope that change is on the horizon. We need more control over what we consume and how it's made. It's not just about music, it's about community and fairness. 
I'm loving how all these new indie platforms are popping up! It's like we've got a whole new wave of innovation happening in the music scene 
. For real though, it's about time artists had more control over their music and fans got some better value for their money 
. Cantilever's curating game is fire 
, and Nina Protocol's 100% revenue split for artists sounds like a total game changer 
. We've been conditioned to accept mediocrity in our music choices, but now we're waking up and demanding better 
. Can't wait to see what's next!
its amazing to see people demanding more from their streaming services and being willing to take a stand against the big guys 
. And Cantilever's curated platform is giving me vibes of Discogs, which is always been a fave spot for music enthusiasts 
!
. It's like people are finally waking up to realizing they have a choice, and that's super empowering 
It's all about curation, community & artist-friendly practices 
Ape that Spotify's PR is trying to make us believe artists are "earning more than ever"... meanwhile, 99% of them are still struggling to pay their rent 