Global Playlists Are Not for Everyone. For Spotify, We Are Still the Periphery, Says CIRG Study
30. 7. 2025 online platforms music industry
Who decides today what reaches the headphones of millions of listeners? What are the chances that Czech, Slovak, or Polish music will make it into global playlists? And why, even in the era of data, algorithms, and global networks, are we still playing by old maps? These questions are raised by a new study by media theorists Miloš Hroch and Petr Szczepanik.
The global streaming service Spotify presents itself as a platform where every artist has an equal chance to reach audiences regardless of where they come from. Reality looks different. Music from Central and Eastern Europe rarely travels beyond its home region – and even when someone occasionally appears on a billboard in Times Square, it often has no real impact on listening figures. Listen to the full episode of the Vlna podcast, in which members of our research group, Miloš Hroch and Petr Szczepanik, present the results of the project Opportunities and Barriers of Cross-Border Distribution of Czech Music Production.
Cirg - about
CIRG – the Cultural Industries Research Group focuses on research into cultural and media industries, particularly on current issues, challenges, and conflicts arising from tensions between intellectual property law, the business models of cultural industries, the digitalization and platformization of cultural sectors, and changing consumer habits. The group’s name is an acronym of its English title, Cultural Industries Research Group. CIRG is an informal association of experts from media studies, intellectual property law, media law, media ethics, cultural economics and cultural management, sociology of culture, and data analysis. The group operates on the basis of project-based funding through applied research projects (TAČR, NAKI, EEA and Norway Grants, OP JAK Intersectoral Cooperation), basic research projects (GAČR, ZIF Bielefeld, OP VVV Excellent Research, DFG), as well as contract research (State Cinematography Fund, Association of Audiovisual Producers).
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Screen Industries in Central and Eastern Europe Research Group
SIRG
Charles University
Department of Film Studies
Lab head: Petr Szczepanik
sirg@ff.cuni.cz
PhD
We offer the opportunity to pursue doctoral study focused on developing and carrying out your own research projects in the field of cultural and media industries. The programme can be undertaken at Palacký University Olomouc, Charles University, or the Prague University of Economics and Business under the supervision of leading experts in media studies, cultural economics, digital ethics, and copyright law.
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