By 2020 …
an estimated 220 million people worldwide are expected to subscribe to a music-streaming service, according to Statista, an online statistics portal.
For decades, scientists have attempted to figure out why we like the music we like. One school of thought states that humans gravitate toward particular frequencies. Another indicates that preferences are deeper manifestations of an individual’s psychological or emotional state. A final theory ties preferences to geographic region or culture. According to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, each of these theories may be at play. “Music is multifaceted: It is composed of specific auditory properties, communicates emotions, and has strong social connotations. … Curiously, however, we know very little about why it is so important.” And as globalization and technology advance, music is shared at a much greater pace than ever before, breaking down barriers, expanding our options and further complicating these theories. While we can’t identify the moods of every individual streaming music, we can examine overarching trends at given points in time. Below is a look at the world’s most distinct regional preferences for the week of March 5, along with top charts and trends in the U.S.
What music is distinctive to Las Vegas?
Music-streaming giant Spotify offers a unique Musical Map of the World, an interactive data set that updates weekly and lists the music most distinctive to dozens of cities and countries around the globe—songs that are enjoyed in each locale far more frequently than in other places. See for yourself here.
Here are some of the songs Las Vegas Valley residents were listening to and sharing the week of March 5:
HOW THEY COUNT
Spotify’s lists are based on number of times streamed. Billboard’s charts are based on sales data, radio airplay and streaming activity.
1. “Lolo Felix,” Aresenal Efectivo
2. “Lost in Love,” Nastyboy Klick
3. “Vida Peligrosa,” Aresenal Efectivo
4. “Angel Baby,” Rosie & The Originals
5. “Me and You,” Brenton Wood
6. “Summer Nights,” Lil Rob
7. “A**hole,” Mike Sherm
8. “Ignorance” by King Lil G
9. “Grow Up,” King Lil G ft. Chikk
10. “I Like the Way You Love Me,” Brenton Wood
Spotify’s top-streaming songs of 2018 (so far)
Distinct music in other countries (for the week of March 5)
• Australia: “Confidence” by Ocean Alley; “God’s Plan” by Drake
• United Kingdom: “Rapper” by Hardy Caprio; “Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monae
• Mexico: “Amorfoda” by Bad Bunny; “Tantas Veces” by Aleman, Yung Sarria
• Brazil: “O Sol” by Vitor Kley; “Black Widow’s Web” by Angra
• North America: “Soldier of Love” by Poesy; “Psycho” by Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign
• Japan: “Dive!” by Daichi Miura; “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran
• Indonesia: “Independent” by Svmmerdose; “IDGAF” by Dua Lipa
• Spain: “No Feat Here, Pt. 1” by Bianca Rose; “Amorfoda” by Bad Bunny
• Turkey: “Oyle Kolaysa” by Mabel Matiz; “My Life Is Going On” by Cecilia Krull
• Italy: “Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente” by Ermal Meta, Fabrizio Moro; “Una Vita in Vacanza” by Lo Stato Sociale
1. “Psycho,” Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign
2. “God’s Plan,” Drake
3. “Big Shot,” Kendrick Lamar ft. Travis Scott
4. “Hustla’s Story,” Cozz ft. Kendrick Lamar
5. “Roads,” Vargas & Lagola
6. “These Days,” Rudimental ft. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen
7. “End Game,” Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran & Future
8. “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey
9. “Out of My Head,” Charli XCX ft. Tove Lo & ALMA
10. “You Owe Me,” The Chainsmokers
$how me the money
Music streaming is a $4 billion-a-year business. But the technology has more than a few critics, with many of the artists who populate the channels at the top of the list. The amount of money that performers earn through streaming is minuscule compared with the revenue they receive from other media.
Artists' pay per play (signed, unsigned):
• Napster: $0.0190, $0.0167
• Google Play: $0.0068, $0.0059
• Tidal: $0.0125, $0.0110
• Apple Music: $0.0073, $0.0064
• Deezer: $0.0064, $0.0056
• Spotify: $0.0044, $0.0038
• Pandora: $0.0013, $0.0011
Contributors’ cuts from streamed music
• Signed artists: 55 percent goes to the label; 25 percent to the distributor/retailer; 20 percent to the artist
• Unsigned artists: 60 percent goes to the artist; 40 percent to the distributor/retailer
This story originally appeared in the Las Vegas Weekly.