Socially Conscious Consumers Got Spotify to Change Its Tune
*By Britt Terrell*
Spotify's decision to remove the R&B artist R.Kelly's songs from parts of its streaming music platform was a considered response to consumers' demands that brands behave in a more socially responsible way.
"These social movements typically backed by large groups of young users are pressuring companies to take a stance," said Phillip Tracy, a tech writer for The Daily Dot.
According to a 2015 Nielsen [report](https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahlandrum/2017/03/17/millennials-driving-brands-to-practice-socially-responsible-marketing/#3946f9034990), 66 percent of consumers are willing to spend more if a product comes from a sustainable brand. Millennial customers are even more demanding ー 81 percent of millennials expect their favorite companies to make public declarations of corporate citizenship.
To appeal to those sentiments, some brands are responding increasingly quickly to online calls to action when new controversies arise.
Spotify made a statement this week when it responded to a #MuteRKelly movement that started after the singer was [accused](http://www.vulture.com/2018/04/another-woman-is-accusing-r-kelly-of-sexual-misconduct.html) of sexually abusing women in a sex cult. Like the hashtag campaigns #MeToo and #TimesUp, the online effort around R.Kelly sought to hold the artist accountable in the marketplace.
Citing its new Hate Content and Hateful Conduct Policy, Spotify said it would no longer include R.Kelly's music in its algorithm and editorial-curated playlists.
Tracy said in an interview Friday with Cheddar that it's hard to say whether other streaming services such as Apple Music will follow Spotify's example.
Spotify has 75 million subscribers as of its first public earnings report earlier this month. Apple has 40 million.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/spotify-takes-the-keys-from-ignition-2).
John Deere is getting on board the autonomous vehicle craze with its own self-driving tractors. The farming and forestry equipment manufacturer made the announcement at the 2022 CES convention in Las Vegas. Jahmy Hindman, chief technology officer at John Deere, spoke to Cheddar about the shift to self-driving to agriculture and how it will help farmers produce even more food as the world's population continues to grow. "It's all about trying to do more with less in farming," he said. "Labor's already a problem on the farm, and it's only getting to be more of a problem in the future. And we really view autonomy as a way to solve that problem."
It is 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicks off on four major betting operating platforms this Saturday. The state, with over 20 million residents, will be the most populous state with legal online sports betting. Max Bichsel, VP of US Business for EmpireStakes.com joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Far too often, Americans are forced to navigate a tangled web of outdated government websites, offices way out of their reach, and hours of time 'on hold' to access the simple government services they depend on. A recent executive order, signed by President Biden, is intended to improve, streamline and modernize the 'customer' experience when accessing government services. Mina Hsiang, the administrator of the United States Digital Service, joins Cheddar News to discuss how the tech workforce is impacted by this executive order.
Cheddar has been following all things innovative, fascinating, and downright cool from CES 2022. Watch the full episode, hosted by Cheddar's Ken Buffa and Michelle Castillo.
Private equity firms in 2021 spent $401.71 billion in U.S. tech investments — doubling 2020's level of $196.34 billion. As tech becomes increasingly interwoven into our lives amid the pandemic, investors grow bullish on the sector, especially software-as-a-service companies. How will 2022 stack up to 2021, and is there potential for parts of the tech sector to sink this year? John Jannarone, Editor in Chief at IPO-Edge, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss 2021's record year of deals, how potential interest rate hikes will impact tech investments in 2022, the fastest-growing IPOs, and more.
