This year, I stopped using streaming services. I learned about how daniel ek, spotify's ceo was investing in ai weapons technology and how spotify is running ice recruitment ads. They are also known for being one of the worst streaming platforms when it comes to paying artists.

I have noticed how spotify has gone downhill through the years. I used to be able to find new music and actually listen to all of the songs I had saved. I had not been challenged with my music taste, and as ai creeps into music production and data collection for the yearly rewind, it was more than time for me to leave altogether.

I know that for myself, going to a "more ethical" streaming service won't solve my problems. I would still have the same issues with streaming, as well as the frustration that artists have with payment. Musicians have told us that the best way to support them is to buy their music directly and (if possible) to support them at shows.

Music is for everyone, but as consumers, we need to be more diligent about where we put our money, and how people are paid for the time they give to us! Buy an album today! Support a local band!

It was very easy for me to get a copy of my music and delete my account. I used Tune My Music to convert my liked songs to a plain text file. I wanted a physical archive of all my songs, so I turned that into a zine!

**Link zine here**

What did I learn? I don't need to have everything all the time!