A time, to fall asleep (excluding the use of drugs) sheep were counted. Then we moved on to listening, preferably with headphones, to relaxing songs. Today more is done, and we rely on the so-called white noise, whose hypothetical relaxing virtues we will discuss later. For now, it is enough to know that these are sounds characterized by the absence of periodicity in time and by a constant amplitude over the whole frequency spectrum. We could say, in simple terms, that they are constant sounds given by the sum of all possible frequencies. Just like the white color, from which they take their name, which is the sum of all the colors present in the electromagnetic spectrum.
Today there are programs, or better yet podcastwhich they release just white noise, in order to concentrate or relax, thus preparing those who find it difficult to rest to sleep. Here: it seems that Spotify has some problems with white noise podcasts. Why?
Spotify and white noise podcasts
It was Bloomberg who discovered, from an internal company document, that now Spotify oppose white noise podcasts, after having recommended them for a long time. We are talking, to give an idea, of a widespread phenomenon: we are talking about something like 3 million hours of consumption per day.
After all, just type “White Noise” on Spotify to see how many and which podcasts appear. Sounds of waterfalls, rains, boiling seas, etc., used to find concentration and above all to shake off daily tensions and fall asleep peacefully.
Il business del white noise (who would have thought that there was one) until recently it was highly recommended by the Spotify algorithm. And it included a large number of podcasters who, by giving up haranguing the public with monologues or interviews punctuated by various sounds (and with a huge post-production work), earned from pure and simple white noise.
Spotify now opposes white noise podcasts
Too bad the turnover of white noise podcasts it backfires on Spotify: the company (which will soon announce the increase in the cost of subscriptions) would lose about 38 million dollars a year. For this reason, again according to Bloomberg, Spotify is radically changing its mind against this type of podcast. How?
It’s not easy to answer. A spokesperson for the company reportedly told Bloomberg that Spotify initially considered removing white noise podcasts, but “that proposal hasn’t materialised. We continue to have these podcasts on our platform.” Still, several users complain about one strong reduction of these contents.
The gain of white noise podcasters
What is certain is that, with an all in all contained effort, the creators of white noise podcasts they have their nice income. For example, if you choose an advertising-only revenue plan, they pocket $12.25 for every 1,000 listeners. And if, as Bloomberg reports, the average daily listens to the most successful white noise podcasts is about 50,000, the bill is soon done. We’re talking $612.50 a day, so $18,375 a month.
The protest of the record companies
Against the hefty profits of white noise podcasts took a stand last May record companies of the caliber of Universal Music Group e Warner Music. Who have deemed a similar salary unfair among those who offer only a little… noisecompared to international musical stars.
While one of the main reasons that would contribute to the lack of Spotify revenue it could be there average duration of this type of podcastwhich block users for a long time on a single content, despite the advertising revenue.
But does white noise really work?
At this point it is necessary to return to what was mentioned at the beginning. Does white noise work or not? The concept (simplifying a lot) is that a monotonous sound carpet can relax the listener. Also because, being the sum of all perceivable frequencies, it acts as a “sound wallpaper”, absorbing any other ambient noise sudden.
The answer is: yes, maybe, well. It is intuitive that the absence of unexpected and unpleasant noises, as well as the absence of visual stimuli, help those who want to concentrate or fall asleep. But it is equally true that there are those who sleep blissfully with the windows open in the most chaotic district of a metropolis and those who struggles to sleep even if only if he hears a faint distant noise.