Spotify’s taking a step toward further supporting musicians who are affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Here’s the statement on their site:

“Today we launched the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project, which recommends verified organizations that offer financial relief to those in the music community most in need around the world. To begin, we’re partnering with MusiCares, PRS Foundation, and Help Musicians, and are looking forward to adding more partners worldwide. Spotify is making a donation to these organizations and will match donations made via the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief page dollar-for-dollar up to a total Spotify contribution of $10 million.”

According to research from BuzzAngle, 99% of music streaming comes from just 10% of songs (Streaming Data Source). Music listeners are settling for what streaming services feed them, which usually leaves out the smaller artists and the less popular content. This leads to a more passive music listening experience, which doesn’t necessarily translate to a better experience for fans nor artists.

A new research study from the University of Glasgow and the University of Oslo finds that streaming music might have a more negative impact on the environment than the days of vinyl, cassette, and cds. See the excerpt from the press release below:

“Dr Kyle Devine, an Associate Professor in Music from the University of Oslo, led the research on the environmental cost of recording formats, said: ‘From a plastic pollution perspective, the good news is that overall plastic production in the recording industry has diminished since the heyday of vinyl.

‘From a carbon emissions perspective, however, the transition towards streaming recorded music from internet-connected devices has resulted in significantly higher carbon emissions than at any previous point in the history of music.'”

Publisher and musician Damon Krukowski writes a really interesting piece for Pitchfork about the downsides of the music streaming business, and why listeners and artists alike should be concerned. How to be a Responsible Music Fan in the Age of Streaming is a great article that tells us why it’s important to be conscious consumers of music.