Spotify announced it would be removing music from artists R. Kelly and XXXTentacion from its playlists, in accordance with its new policy on “hate content and hateful conduct.” People are putting platforms under scrutiny for what they promote, demanding brands take a stand on important issues.

Spotify boasts over 100 million users, who generate masses of data each day. For the ‘It’s Been Weird’ campaign, the streaming service has used this information to weave narratives around people’s listening habits, exposing their guilty pleasures and secret, themed playlists on billboards.

While algorithms are designed to show users exactly what they want, too much personalisation can be stifling. By cracking the ‘echo chamber’ and combating boredom with positive surprises, how are brands injecting a much-needed dose of the unexpected into people’s everyday experiences?

New music albums will now available exclusively to premium Spotify users for the first two weeks after release. The music streaming service hopes that by withholding content, it can persuade impatient non-paying users to fork out. But it could simply cause them to listen elsewhere.