It's no secret that technology has infiltrated almost every aspect of our lives throughout the years. One prime example is how you can now access an online casino from just about anywhere in the world, whereas before, you'd need to physically make your way to a land-based casino to access your favorite games. Similarly, the manner in which we consume music has changed because of technological advances like streaming.

Streaming music is a way of directly feeding audio content to devices like personal computers and mobile phones without the device needing to download the files. Nowadays, this is offered through a web or application-based service. Millions of songs are fed to device holders on a daily basis by music listening platforms such as Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Tidal and Deezer, among many others.

The Rise of Music Streaming Platforms and Their Impact on Traditional Listening Patterns

Can you believe that three decades ago, the only media available to listen to music was radio, television and live or stage performances? Thanks to pioneers such as MP3.com and PeopleSound, who were forerunners to audio streaming providers such as Spotify and Apple Music, that's no longer the case. Music streaming has evolved for the better over the years, with ease and convenience being the name of the game. In fact, the shift in how we consume music has evolved so much that vinyls, cassettes and CDs now belong to modern museums or are kept as personal and sentimental reminders of what used to be.

Personalized Recommendations and Curated Playlists

Modern streaming platforms and systems are so sophisticated that it might sometimes seem as though they have a deep understanding of who you are and the type of music you enjoy. To an extent, this is true. Based on what you listen to upon signing up for or streaming on a particular platform, sophisticated streaming algorithms and data collection come into play to offer a more personalized listening experience. With curated playlists also being tailored for you based on the algorithm, one might go as far as saying that music streaming platforms subtly guide and influence what we listen to.

This is exactly how and why trending songs and artists gain so much traction. If streaming services are constantly making suggestions and curating playlists, people in various parts of the world can end up listening to the same songs, making them trend.

The Power of Playlists in Shaping Listening Habits and the Discovery of New Artists