“I find it pretty lame that we put our heart and soul into something and then just put it online for free.” This candid statement from songwriter Caroline Rose captures a sentiment that is quietly spreading through the independent music scene: the idea that being on Spotify is, well, kind of lame.
This emerging perception marks a significant cultural shift. For years, having your music on Spotify was a sign of legitimacy, a necessary step for any serious artist. But now, for a growing community, the opposite is becoming true. Opting out of the platform is being framed as the more artistically credible and ethically sound choice.
This “lameness” factor is tied to several of the platform’s perceived failings. It’s seen as lame to participate in a system that so clearly underpays artists. It’s seen as lame to have your art reduced to background “muzak” on a generic mood playlist. And it’s seen as lame to be associated with a corporation whose founder invests in military technology.
As a result, a new kind of “cool” is being defined by what it stands against. It’s cool to release your music on Bandcamp. It’s cool to have a vinyl-only release. It’s cool to support artists directly. This creates a cultural dynamic where artists and fans can signal their values and their insider knowledge by rejecting the mainstream platform.
While this may seem like a minor shift in attitude, the power of “cool” in the music industry should not be underestimated. Culture is driven by tastemakers and early adopters. If Spotify loses its grip on this influential demographic, it could face a slow erosion of its cultural relevance, even as it maintains its market dominance. The question for the future is just how far this perception of “lameness” will spread.