The fallout from Spotify’s decision to de-playlist R. Kelly and XXXTentacion continues, with speculation that the company’s global head of creator services Troy Carter may be quitting as a result. Speculation that Spotify is denying, mind.
Variety’s report is getting the most traction: it claimed that “multiple sources” had told it that Carter was leaving the company.
“His exit, it was unilaterally implied, was believed to be prompted by the firestorm that emerged,” suggested the report, although it also cited a Spotify representative as denying that Carter is leaving “and more than one Spotify source has said that Carter reported to work on Monday morning, May 14”.
Industry site Hits Daily Double has also been stoking the rumour-mill, suggesting that the policy itself wasn’t the problem, but rather the decision to announce it. “It’s believed that he fought against the idea of announcing the policy changes and trumpeting the idea of determining ‘values,’ which has drawn the ire of much of the music community,” it claimed.
“Had Spotify simply changed its approach to promoting artists without grandstanding in the press, these insiders say, this firestorm might’ve been avoided.”
Focusing on whether Carter will stay or go perhaps shouldn’t be the focus here though: the fact that Spotify staff are leaking to Variety and Hits on the internal unrest should be a concern to the streaming service.
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