1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

Congress must investigate the unethical practices exposed in the music streaming industry, akin to the payola scandals of the past. It is crucial to establish transparency laws that forbid music platforms from promoting tracks based on financial incentives rather than artistic merit. The disturbing revelations about Spotify's "Perfect Fit Content" program, where the company boosted streams of music they had financial interests in, undermine the integrity of the industry. This exploitative behavior deprives artists of fair compensation and manipulates listeners' experiences. Decisive action is needed to safeguard the rights of musicians and uphold principles of artistic freedom. Stringent regulations should bar such conflicts of interest and enforce accountability within streaming platforms. The public deserves assurance that their music consumption is not being unduly influenced by corporate profiteering at the expense of creativity and fairness.