The 100 Days of Colour: Unearthing Algorithmic Bias in Music Streaming

In a time where music streaming services are transforming how we access and relate to music, how can we ensure that all artists have equitable access to a potential audience? And how can users trust that we are being shown artists that are the best match for us, not reflective of someone else’s bias or financial goals?

‘The 100 Days of Colour’ is an experiment wherein I monitored the way Spotify was recommending music to me based on race. I was able to backtrack patterns in representation in playlists to identify the demographic of the Spotify team. This demonstrates how the subconscious bias of programmers and curators is passed on to users through the filter of algorithmic bias.

This experiment is an example of how human bias can seep into even seemingly non-partisan digital operations. Bias is a part of being human and thus it is a part of the technology we create. In this presentation I will introduce the experiment and offer some key insights that will make you rethink your music streaming habits.