The Music Market in the Age of Streaming: Platform Power, Algorithms, and Artistic Creativity

This preprint is a revised and more developed version of the earlier paper on streaming and artistic creativity. The first version mainly described how streaming platforms influence song structure and creative choices. In this updated version, the argument is expanded and placed within a clearer theoretical framework, viewing streaming not simply as a distribution tool, but as a cultural and creative infrastructure that shapes how music is produced and valued. The article explores how platform rules, algorithms, playlists and engagement metrics influence both the circulation of music and the decisions artists make during the creative process. It combines an integrated review of academic research and industry reports with a small illustrative analysis of Billboard Hot 100 year-end number one songs between 2015 and 2024. The empirical section is used to support and ground the broader discussion, rather than to make large statistical claims. The findings show that streaming platforms have a mixed impact. They lower barriers to entry, support global reach, and allow niche genres to grow. At the same time, they encourage shorter tracks, faster engagement, and more standardised song structures, often rewarding visibility and algorithmic compatibility over experimentation. The paper argues that streaming platforms now operate as systems that both enable and constrain creativity. Compared with the previous version, this edition offers stronger conceptual clarity, deeper theoretical integration and a more clearly defined methodological position.