Interesting read, but it assumes the playing field can still be levelled.
The truth is, most power imbalances in the music industry today are structural, not just strategic. Major labels don’t just move slower — they own the infrastructure: catalogues, editorial playlists, data pipelines, and industry relationships. “Outplaying” them inside a system they control is wishful thinking at best.
Plus, let’s be honest: when a smaller company actually becomes effective, it usually gets acquired. The system rewards absorption, not resistance.
So while Absolute’s work is commendable, it risks becoming just another feature of the machine it claims to counter. Better tools won’t fix a broken model.
Interesting read, but it assumes the playing field can still be levelled.
The truth is, most power imbalances in the music industry today are structural, not just strategic. Major labels don’t just move slower — they own the infrastructure: catalogues, editorial playlists, data pipelines, and industry relationships. “Outplaying” them inside a system they control is wishful thinking at best.
Plus, let’s be honest: when a smaller company actually becomes effective, it usually gets acquired. The system rewards absorption, not resistance.
So while Absolute’s work is commendable, it risks becoming just another feature of the machine it claims to counter. Better tools won’t fix a broken model.