Have you noticed that no matter where you go — TikTok, Spotify, YouTube, even the radio — you're hearing the same 30 songs on repeat? You didn’t choose them. You didn’t ask for them. Yet here they are, flooding your playlists, looping in the background of every video, popping up in your Discover Weekly. So, what’s going on?
The Algorithm Decided.. Not You
We like to believe we have choice in what we listen to. But truth is, the algorithm — or rather, a handful of them — has already made up its mind. Streaming platforms are no longer neutral libraries of music; they’re recommendation machines trained to prioritize what’s already trending. And what’s trending? The top 30 chart-toppers. Again. And again.
It’s a feedback loop:
→ a few songs are pushed to the front of playlists
→ more people hear them
→ more streams
→ they trend harder
→ the algorithm boosts them even more.
Rinse and repeat. Within days, those same songs are everywhere, whether or not they’re the best music out there.
Predetermined Popularity
This isn’t about what people want to hear. It’s about what’s easiest to serve at scale. The music industry feeds algorithms pre-cleared, high-investment tracks — usually from major labels — designed for mass consumption. That becomes the default soundtrack of your digital life.
And it leaves very little room for discovery.
There are brilliant indie artists out there — soulful voices with fresh sounds and real stories — who never make it onto your algorithmically curated radar. Artists like Osho Jain, Rishbh Tiwari, and Sanjeeta Bhattacharya are crafting heartfelt, genre-bending music that deserves so much more reach. But the algorithm doesn’t favour the underrated — it favours the already-visible.
They’re building from the ground up, relying on loyal listeners, word of mouth, and the rare boost from independent curators. Yet their incredible work often gets buried under the weight of “what’s hot right now.”
You’re Not Discovering — You’re Being Programmed
We’re in an era of passive listening. The algorithm doesn’t ask what you like — it decides what you should like based on the behaviour of millions of others. You’re being nudged, steered, and fed a diet of sameness, pre-approved and hyper-optimized for clicks.
Sure, you can break free. Dig through Bandcamp. Follow niche curators. Explore local scenes. But the system is designed for convenience, and convenience often kills curiosity.
So next time you catch yourself humming that same hook for the fifth time today, ask yourself:
Did I choose this song… or did the algorithm choose it for me?