Since July this year Spotify has been dropping ‘Discover Weekly’ into users accounts every Monday. I registered it properly about a month ago and it’s become something I really look forward to at the start of every week.
It’s basically a mix tape automatically generated by an algorithm that knows what I like, don’t like and listen to a lot. And it really is fantastic. It reminds me of songs I’d forgotten, and every week it’s introduced me to songs I never knew existed and are fantastic; each week there’s been at least one song I can’t believe I’d never heard before.
Sure, there are also a few duds, but far fewer than a public radio station would throw up, and they can always be skipped.
There are duds and then there are duds, however. This Monday threw up Ten Commandments, a 1967 reggae number by Prince Buster. It’s got a cracking beat and certainly makes you smile, at least until the lyrics seep through. Verse one:
Theses are the ten commandments from man
Given to woman
Through the inspiration of I, Prince Buster
It’s of its time of course. But it paints a picture of a jealous man, who wants to control ‘his woman’. Commandment Nine is where it crosses so far across the line that I stopped it (it’s not possible to delete offensive songs from the Discover Weekly list):
Thou shall not commit adultery
For the world will not hold me guilty if I commit murder
A catchy tune which justifies domestic violence and murder for a woman who doesn’t do exactly what ‘her man’ tells her to; it shouldn’t need to be said, it’s unacceptable.
As I say, a song of its time. It can’t be unmade and in many ways is a perfect study of the sort of insidious control that some men exert over their partners (with such a catchy, upbeat tune the Prince can’t be that bad, can he?). It exists, but Spotify really shouldn’t recommend it in 2015.
Writing this post took on a greater urgency when a friend on Facebook posted an new advert from Bloomingdales.
This is a genuine advert with no sense of irony.
Writing a blog post doesn’t really cut it. I don’t shop at Bloomingdales anyway, so threatening not to is a hollow threat. However, I’ll update this post with Spotify’s response to my question about why they are recommending a song glorifying misogyny and domestic violence.
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