In the age of algorithms, music is under constant pressure to respond to mood, brand and data.

Hear from music journalist and cultural critic Liz Pelly with host Lauren Taylor in this sharp and insightful exploration into how streaming platforms have transformed our relationship with music. Pelly unpacks the shift from art to algorithm-driven content, where music is reduced to a commodified experience and listeners to mere data points.

Drawing from years of investigative reporting culminating in her bold exposé 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist', Pelly uncovers how the economics of streaming are reshaping the music industry and what this seismic change means for artists, listeners and cultural production at large.

The conversation explores ways to reclaim that human connection in music and fight for a more meaningful future in the age of corporate playlists and mood marketing.

This event was recorded on Thursday 28 August 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Now or Never.

The official bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop.

Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

In the age of algorithms, music is under constant pressure to respond to mood, brand and data. Hear from music journalist and cultural critic Liz Pelly with host Lauren Taylor in this sharp and insightful exploration into how streaming platforms have transformed our relationship with music. Pelly unpacks the shift from art to algorithm-driven content, where music is reduced to a commodified experience and listeners to mere data points. Drawing from years of investigative reporting culminating in her bold expos&eacute;&nbsp;'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist', Pelly uncovers how the economics of streaming are reshaping the music industry and what this seismic change means for artists, listeners and cultural production at large. The conversation explores ways to reclaim that human connection in music and fight for a more meaningful future in the age of corporate playlists and mood marketing.
This event was recorded on Thursday 28 August 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Now or Never.
The official bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop. Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

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