The best thing about Spotify is not even the music

 

The best thing about Spotify is not even the music

7 March 2024

I’ve  been a slow adapter to Spotify. Go figure. Which is actually quite odd. Cause I am really, really passionate about music. Our home is never quiet and there is simply always music playing constantly. Not to mention the never-ending playlist in my head. In addition, any car ride is filled with music, with a big contest as to who gets to play DJ. Solo trips are filled with my fave songs, that I sing to very loudly and animatedly. I’ve even got a bling microphone in the car for this exact purpose and I’m an absolute pro at dancing while sitting and driving. Robots (or traffic lights for you weird foreigners) are my best. Don’t give a hoot who watches. In fact, it merely helps to up my enthusiasm. Like to give the lucky peeps a bit of a show while I’m at it.

 

But I’ve always just gone about it old school. By putting songs in a folder on my phone. How terribly neanderthal of me. Or is it Gen X or Gen Z? I know I’m not a Millennial, or a Baby Boomer. But I’m not actually quite sure which category I fit in? Fine, I was born in 1973. You figure it out. And please let me know.

 

So back to Spotify. Everyone has been raving about it for years! And I get the whole concept. I thought I understood the basics as well as the purpose. I mean it’s pure genius. I just didn’t really get to make a start of it, exploring my way through the plethora of audio pleasures. Who knows why?

 

And then I dove in.

 

Dear. Heavens. Alive!!! It’s absolutely bloody brilliant! Can’t believe I wasted all of that pointless time not embracing it with both arms (jazz hands on occasion), toe tapping enthusiasm and bling microphone waving around excitedly, much earlier. What a blithering eejit!

 

Alas, forgive me. I finally get it now. And boy, do I!!!

 

It’s been pure unadulterated joy diving into my favourite songs. Super quick and easy, with crisp clear quality. And I was all in on liking songs and making the odd Playlist. But I was still a mere novice. Personally remembering a forgotten song or artist, searching for them and then adding them that way. Every so often, I’d remember a long forgotten artist or song that I absolutely loved, only to find that they were not on Spotify at all. Shooketh, I tell you! And then I’d instantly think about why they choose not to have their songs listed. They’re probably getting paid a very, very piddly amount. In which case I truly sympathised with them. Impressed with their dedication to their art and not bowing down to peer pressure, sticking to their guns and all that. But I am always a little bit disappointed and bleak that I can’t listen to their music. However, does this stop me from still listening to Spotify all the time? Hell no! I’m not into self-punishment after all.

 

And then, one fine day, I discovered that Spotify makes artist and song selections for you, based on your recent activity. Oh. Sweet. Mother!!! Unbridled excitement, I tell you! Don’t you just love a good algorithm working it’s manipulative mastery? I mean, I always knew Spotify could and would do this. But I just didn’t really explore it much. Nor experience it. Probably because I really like the music I already love so much. If that makes sense. And not just the old stuff either. I’m constantly adding songs based on music I hear on My Grantie’s playlists, or one of the kids, randomly in a shop, on the radio, or even on the TV. So my music selection was not stagnant. But perhaps it was a bit too consistent and not exploratory enough.

 

But now I’m a full on Spotify groupie! I would say I’m a Spotify slut, but decorum. And so on and so forth. So, Spotify, Bring. It. On.

 

So here’s the surprising thing. Much as I love Spotify, and believe you me, I really, really do, finding new music or even old favourite music is not even my best thing.

 

Want to know what it is?

 

It’s the frigging lyrics!

 

Is my hearing really all that bad? Now Grant has always accused me of slaughtering song lyrics. Most especially in the car when we’re driving together and listening to his Playlists. He even gets quite mean. He’s got a rock-solid embargo and prohibition on microphone wielding while we’re driving together. So cruel! However, there’s absolutely nothing he can do about the jazz hands. I simply refuse to give those babies up. Have I mentioned yet how fun robots are?

 

So I sing loudly, emphatically and super enthusiastically. And I don’t let a little insignificant detail, like not knowing the song lyrics at all, put me off in the slightest. That would be boring. So, I simply make them up on the spot. So much more fun! Hey, I’m actually being creative here! I’ve always thought I’m rather good at this. 

 

Apparently I’m not. Spotify has highlighted this for me with crystal clear clarity. Neon flashing signs and all. To be fair, I find it extremely funny and absolutely hilarious how badly I've been getting lyrics wrong. And for how long I've been doing it. It's a skill!

 

Jeez, probably half of my favourite songs have been butchered by me over the years. Moreover, you know what the implication of this is, right? I clearly don’t know the actual meaning or significance behind so many songs.

 

It’s been a cruel awakening. So I’ve done the next best, most obvious thing. I intentionally and with great deliberation ignore the song lyrics. Why be normal if you can rather be creative?

 

In all seriousness, thanks so much Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon as well as the rest of the gang at Spotify. You’ve made the world an infinitely more beautiful and colourful place. And I’m so grateful for your weird computer geek genius.

 

Now bloody pay the artists more! I have been humming Michelle Shocked in my head for days, and I can’t find it anywhere.

 

My Amber-Berry is delightfully indulgent. And only mildly critical of my song lyrics.

Driving back from hockey matches in Stellenbosch a few years ago. Amber dutifully coached all of us on the correct lyrics for this song. Still delight in singing it with the exact words.