liz pelly
@lizpelly.bsky.social
writer in nyc, author of Mood Machine
co-host of @criticallistening.bsky.social
lizpelly.info/book
co-host of @criticallistening.bsky.social
lizpelly.info/book
grateful for this thoughtful & wide-ranging piece by Rob Arcand on the state of the financialized culture industry & what criticism of it is for, that puts Mood Machine in conversation with Andrew deWaard’s Derivative Media @nplusonemag.com
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
The Same Stream Twice | Rob Arcand
Two recent books, Liz Pelly’s Mood Machine and Andrew deWaard’s Derivative Media, explore the consequences of these technological intermediaries for the music, film, and television industries. While P...
www.nplusonemag.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:11 PM
grateful for this thoughtful & wide-ranging piece by Rob Arcand on the state of the financialized culture industry & what criticism of it is for, that puts Mood Machine in conversation with Andrew deWaard’s Derivative Media @nplusonemag.com
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
really enjoyed moderating this convo w/ Hayden Pedigo and S.G. Goodman for the Big Ears podcast. could def have much longer convos with both of them but was nice to chat about some of the places where their albums/backgrounds intersect
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...
Reconsidering Americana: Hayden Pedigo & S.G. Goodman
Podcast Episode · Big Ears: Conversations About Music · 11/06/2025 · 51m
podcasts.apple.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:39 PM
really enjoyed moderating this convo w/ Hayden Pedigo and S.G. Goodman for the Big Ears podcast. could def have much longer convos with both of them but was nice to chat about some of the places where their albums/backgrounds intersect
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...
Reposted by liz pelly
From 2015 to 2023, Spotify spent a total of $8,720,000 on lobbyists.
Source: "Mood Machine" by @lizpelly.bsky.social
Source: "Mood Machine" by @lizpelly.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 6:33 PM
From 2015 to 2023, Spotify spent a total of $8,720,000 on lobbyists.
Source: "Mood Machine" by @lizpelly.bsky.social
Source: "Mood Machine" by @lizpelly.bsky.social
It feels to me like letting a streaming platform summarize your book for readers using AI could be problematic
newsroom.spotify.com/2025-11-13/a...
newsroom.spotify.com/2025-11-13/a...
Introducing Audiobook Recaps, a New Way to Reengage With Your Favorite Stories — Spotify
Today, Spotify is beginning to roll out a powerful new feature designed to help listeners jump back into stories they’ve put down, whether it’s after a busy week or a doze during a bedtime story, or s...
newsroom.spotify.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:02 PM
It feels to me like letting a streaming platform summarize your book for readers using AI could be problematic
newsroom.spotify.com/2025-11-13/a...
newsroom.spotify.com/2025-11-13/a...
Reposted by liz pelly
To celebrate year 5 and to MAKE GOVERNANCE FUN™️ we’re throwing a lil’ pre-AGM shindig ft. a convo between NF’s own Tabassum Siddiqui and @lizpelly.bsky.social
They’ll be talkin’ the good stuff: collective ownership and labour in music.
Come for the convo, stay for the governance!🤓
They’ll be talkin’ the good stuff: collective ownership and labour in music.
Come for the convo, stay for the governance!🤓
It’s AGM time! We’re hosting a virtual gathering and kicking it off with a special guest convo.
New Feeling co-founder Tabassum Siddiqui will chat with author @lizpelly.bsky.social about collective ownership & the “new music labour movement" on Thursday November 20th, at 7pm ET.
New Feeling co-founder Tabassum Siddiqui will chat with author @lizpelly.bsky.social about collective ownership & the “new music labour movement" on Thursday November 20th, at 7pm ET.
November 12, 2025 at 3:44 AM
To celebrate year 5 and to MAKE GOVERNANCE FUN™️ we’re throwing a lil’ pre-AGM shindig ft. a convo between NF’s own Tabassum Siddiqui and @lizpelly.bsky.social
They’ll be talkin’ the good stuff: collective ownership and labour in music.
Come for the convo, stay for the governance!🤓
They’ll be talkin’ the good stuff: collective ownership and labour in music.
Come for the convo, stay for the governance!🤓
Reposted by liz pelly
It’s AGM time! We’re hosting a virtual gathering and kicking it off with a special guest convo.
New Feeling co-founder Tabassum Siddiqui will chat with author @lizpelly.bsky.social about collective ownership & the “new music labour movement" on Thursday November 20th, at 7pm ET.
New Feeling co-founder Tabassum Siddiqui will chat with author @lizpelly.bsky.social about collective ownership & the “new music labour movement" on Thursday November 20th, at 7pm ET.
November 11, 2025 at 10:00 PM
It’s AGM time! We’re hosting a virtual gathering and kicking it off with a special guest convo.
New Feeling co-founder Tabassum Siddiqui will chat with author @lizpelly.bsky.social about collective ownership & the “new music labour movement" on Thursday November 20th, at 7pm ET.
New Feeling co-founder Tabassum Siddiqui will chat with author @lizpelly.bsky.social about collective ownership & the “new music labour movement" on Thursday November 20th, at 7pm ET.
i don’t ever wear headphones while walking around my neighborhood but I’m going to make an exception for listening to Mr. Cardamom on the way to the polls
November 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM
i don’t ever wear headphones while walking around my neighborhood but I’m going to make an exception for listening to Mr. Cardamom on the way to the polls
tomorrow is your last day to knock some doors for zohran. i highly recommend signing up for an election day canvassing shift if you can, and especially if you have never done it before ! Zohranfornyc.com/gotv
November 4, 2025 at 2:29 AM
tomorrow is your last day to knock some doors for zohran. i highly recommend signing up for an election day canvassing shift if you can, and especially if you have never done it before ! Zohranfornyc.com/gotv
people using ai to automate follow up emails to their requests for free labor need to be stopped
November 3, 2025 at 5:53 PM
people using ai to automate follow up emails to their requests for free labor need to be stopped
new episode of my podcast w/ @peretsky.bsky.social published today. linked below. discussing some v spooky subject matter.
EPISODE 7 a new headlines episode of critical listening is live. this time we are unpacking the major label deals w/ gen-ai companies and what they mean for music writ large. also, ek stepping down from his role as ceo at Spotify. hear it now by becoming a subscriber: www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
Get more from Critical Listening on Patreon
a podcast about music, technology & culture industry hell
www.patreon.com
October 31, 2025 at 11:15 PM
new episode of my podcast w/ @peretsky.bsky.social published today. linked below. discussing some v spooky subject matter.
Reposted by liz pelly
EPISODE 7 a new headlines episode of critical listening is live. this time we are unpacking the major label deals w/ gen-ai companies and what they mean for music writ large. also, ek stepping down from his role as ceo at Spotify. hear it now by becoming a subscriber: www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
Get more from Critical Listening on Patreon
a podcast about music, technology & culture industry hell
www.patreon.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:44 PM
EPISODE 7 a new headlines episode of critical listening is live. this time we are unpacking the major label deals w/ gen-ai companies and what they mean for music writ large. also, ek stepping down from his role as ceo at Spotify. hear it now by becoming a subscriber: www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
New Yorkers of bluesky: tomorrrow/Weds night i am doing an audiofemme festival panel in Brooklyn that should be v interesting. Topic is “authenticity in the age of algorithms”(complicated) w/ Taja cheek (of L’Rain), Hannah Pruz (Gunk), Jill Mapes (hearing things) & Cherie Hu. 7pm sharp at sleepwalk
October 29, 2025 at 2:20 AM
New Yorkers of bluesky: tomorrrow/Weds night i am doing an audiofemme festival panel in Brooklyn that should be v interesting. Topic is “authenticity in the age of algorithms”(complicated) w/ Taja cheek (of L’Rain), Hannah Pruz (Gunk), Jill Mapes (hearing things) & Cherie Hu. 7pm sharp at sleepwalk
Reposted by liz pelly
@lizpelly.bsky.social and Siri Undlin discuss “Mood Machine” during #ChippewaValleyBookFestival in #EauClaire today. Check out Liz’s book and her podcast, Critical Listening.
October 25, 2025 at 11:55 PM
@lizpelly.bsky.social and Siri Undlin discuss “Mood Machine” during #ChippewaValleyBookFestival in #EauClaire today. Check out Liz’s book and her podcast, Critical Listening.
Reposted by liz pelly
I have a few minutes before my first meeting of the day so let's do a mini NYC public libraries teach in.
There are three NYC Public Library Systems
1. NYPL - www.nypl.org
2. Queens Public Library - queenslibrary.org
3. Brooklyn Public Library - www.bklynlibrary.org
There are three NYC Public Library Systems
1. NYPL - www.nypl.org
2. Queens Public Library - queenslibrary.org
3. Brooklyn Public Library - www.bklynlibrary.org
The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been an essential provider of free books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers for more than 100 years.
www.nypl.org
October 23, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I have a few minutes before my first meeting of the day so let's do a mini NYC public libraries teach in.
There are three NYC Public Library Systems
1. NYPL - www.nypl.org
2. Queens Public Library - queenslibrary.org
3. Brooklyn Public Library - www.bklynlibrary.org
There are three NYC Public Library Systems
1. NYPL - www.nypl.org
2. Queens Public Library - queenslibrary.org
3. Brooklyn Public Library - www.bklynlibrary.org
guess i have to go to forest hills stadium for the first time (??)
October 23, 2025 at 12:42 AM
guess i have to go to forest hills stadium for the first time (??)
kinda feel like the role of criticism is to provide a point of view other than popular crowd consensus which is what we get literally everywhere else
October 22, 2025 at 5:22 PM
kinda feel like the role of criticism is to provide a point of view other than popular crowd consensus which is what we get literally everywhere else
Reposted by liz pelly
Hey if you join @criticallistening.bsky.social patreon you can hear me dishing about non-profit attitudes toward labor in Cambridge/Boston… And even if you don’t, you can now hear a convo btwn me @lizpelly.bsky.social and @peretsky.bsky.social about Why Sound Matters www.podbean.com/ew/pb-rd88j-...
Episode 6: Why Sound Matters w/ Damon Krukowski
We're back from a month of touring and we missed you! We are thrilled to have musician and author Damon Krukowski on the show to discuss his upcoming book "Why Sound Matters", available everywhere on ...
www.podbean.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Hey if you join @criticallistening.bsky.social patreon you can hear me dishing about non-profit attitudes toward labor in Cambridge/Boston… And even if you don’t, you can now hear a convo btwn me @lizpelly.bsky.social and @peretsky.bsky.social about Why Sound Matters www.podbean.com/ew/pb-rd88j-...
Reposted by liz pelly
My book Why Sound Matters is out this week! @lizpelly.bsky.social & @peretsky.bsky.social invited me to talk about it on their excellent podcast @criticallistening.bsky.social, available now wherever you get your podcasts, with one exception (you guessed it!) dadadrummer.substack.com/p/critical-l...
Critical Listening
A conversation with Liz Pelly and Max Alper about Why Sound Matters
dadadrummer.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:39 PM
My book Why Sound Matters is out this week! @lizpelly.bsky.social & @peretsky.bsky.social invited me to talk about it on their excellent podcast @criticallistening.bsky.social, available now wherever you get your podcasts, with one exception (you guessed it!) dadadrummer.substack.com/p/critical-l...
Reposted by liz pelly
Liz and Max are my ideal interlocutors - delighted with how this conversation turned out! Also, they are so skilled at choosing bumper music that I even enjoyed the Galaxie bits @lizpelly.bsky.social @peretsky.bsky.social cc @yalebooks.bsky.social @yalepress.bsky.social @hillnadell.bsky.social
EPISODE 6: WHY SOUND MATTERS w/ DAMON KRUKOWSKI On the occasion of @dadadrummer.bsky.social‘s new book, we spoke about sound as material, music as labor, AI slop as a waste product of music’s financialization & much more. Hear it now by becoming a subscriber:
www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
Get more from Critical Listening on Patreon
a podcast about music, technology & culture industry hell
www.patreon.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Liz and Max are my ideal interlocutors - delighted with how this conversation turned out! Also, they are so skilled at choosing bumper music that I even enjoyed the Galaxie bits @lizpelly.bsky.social @peretsky.bsky.social cc @yalebooks.bsky.social @yalepress.bsky.social @hillnadell.bsky.social
Reposted by liz pelly
EPISODE 6: WHY SOUND MATTERS w/ DAMON KRUKOWSKI On the occasion of @dadadrummer.bsky.social‘s new book, we spoke about sound as material, music as labor, AI slop as a waste product of music’s financialization & much more. Hear it now by becoming a subscriber:
www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
Get more from Critical Listening on Patreon
a podcast about music, technology & culture industry hell
www.patreon.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
EPISODE 6: WHY SOUND MATTERS w/ DAMON KRUKOWSKI On the occasion of @dadadrummer.bsky.social‘s new book, we spoke about sound as material, music as labor, AI slop as a waste product of music’s financialization & much more. Hear it now by becoming a subscriber:
www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
www.patreon.com/c/CriticalLi...
some stuff coming up this week
thurs oct 16 - durham NC - book talk at duke university 6:30pm
sat oct 18 - nashville TN - in convo with ben Ratliff at southern festival of books 9am
mon oct 20 - berkeley, ca - in convo with Jenny Toomey at uc Berkeley on creative labor in the streaming era 4:45pm
thurs oct 16 - durham NC - book talk at duke university 6:30pm
sat oct 18 - nashville TN - in convo with ben Ratliff at southern festival of books 9am
mon oct 20 - berkeley, ca - in convo with Jenny Toomey at uc Berkeley on creative labor in the streaming era 4:45pm
October 14, 2025 at 1:33 PM
some stuff coming up this week
thurs oct 16 - durham NC - book talk at duke university 6:30pm
sat oct 18 - nashville TN - in convo with ben Ratliff at southern festival of books 9am
mon oct 20 - berkeley, ca - in convo with Jenny Toomey at uc Berkeley on creative labor in the streaming era 4:45pm
thurs oct 16 - durham NC - book talk at duke university 6:30pm
sat oct 18 - nashville TN - in convo with ben Ratliff at southern festival of books 9am
mon oct 20 - berkeley, ca - in convo with Jenny Toomey at uc Berkeley on creative labor in the streaming era 4:45pm
Reposted by liz pelly
Join Jenny Toomey, @lizpelly.bsky.social & Peter DiCola for #TechPolicyWeek! 🎶🤖
How can artists keep agency & fair pay in a streaming-dominated world?
Oct 20 | 4:15–6pm | 2400 Ridge Rd, 3rd Floor Board Room
@BerkeleyISchool.bsky.social @GoldmanSchool.bsky.social
How can artists keep agency & fair pay in a streaming-dominated world?
Oct 20 | 4:15–6pm | 2400 Ridge Rd, 3rd Floor Board Room
@BerkeleyISchool.bsky.social @GoldmanSchool.bsky.social
A Research Agenda for Creative Labor in the Digital Age
Oct 20, 2025, 4:45 pm - In an industry dominated by digital technologies and streaming, how can musicians and other artists retain agency and fair compensation?
www.ischool.berkeley.edu
October 12, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Join Jenny Toomey, @lizpelly.bsky.social & Peter DiCola for #TechPolicyWeek! 🎶🤖
How can artists keep agency & fair pay in a streaming-dominated world?
Oct 20 | 4:15–6pm | 2400 Ridge Rd, 3rd Floor Board Room
@BerkeleyISchool.bsky.social @GoldmanSchool.bsky.social
How can artists keep agency & fair pay in a streaming-dominated world?
Oct 20 | 4:15–6pm | 2400 Ridge Rd, 3rd Floor Board Room
@BerkeleyISchool.bsky.social @GoldmanSchool.bsky.social
i think tracks made fully using gen AI should be clearly labeled in ways that actually serve the avg user -
giving labels/distributors the ability to opt-in to submit metadata disclosing use of AI to be added to credits is a start but still far away from what’s needed
musically.com/2025/09/25/s...
giving labels/distributors the ability to opt-in to submit metadata disclosing use of AI to be added to credits is a start but still far away from what’s needed
musically.com/2025/09/25/s...
Spotify reveals its latest measures to handle AI music, spam and deepfakes
What are streaming services going to do about the explosion of fully AI-generated music being uploaded to their platforms?
musically.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:10 PM
i think tracks made fully using gen AI should be clearly labeled in ways that actually serve the avg user -
giving labels/distributors the ability to opt-in to submit metadata disclosing use of AI to be added to credits is a start but still far away from what’s needed
musically.com/2025/09/25/s...
giving labels/distributors the ability to opt-in to submit metadata disclosing use of AI to be added to credits is a start but still far away from what’s needed
musically.com/2025/09/25/s...
Reposted by liz pelly
Excited to announce that @lizpelly.bsky.social will be reading from her book 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist' at UMAW's free show in D.C. this coming Monday Sept 29. RVSP now for your spot it's filling up fast: actionnetwork.org/events/julia...
September 24, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Excited to announce that @lizpelly.bsky.social will be reading from her book 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist' at UMAW's free show in D.C. this coming Monday Sept 29. RVSP now for your spot it's filling up fast: actionnetwork.org/events/julia...
episodes 1-5 of @criticallistening.bsky.social, the podcast i co-host with @peretsky.bsky.social, are avail everywhere but spotify. we’re starting work on eps 6-10 this week. if you would like to support this work pls subscribe here! www.patreon.com/criticallist... tysm
Get more from Critical Listening on Patreon
a podcast about music, technology & culture industry hell
www.patreon.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:40 PM
episodes 1-5 of @criticallistening.bsky.social, the podcast i co-host with @peretsky.bsky.social, are avail everywhere but spotify. we’re starting work on eps 6-10 this week. if you would like to support this work pls subscribe here! www.patreon.com/criticallist... tysm