Industry & Culture
Likes Don't Pay the Rent: Why Independent Artists Are Finally Walking Away from the Algorithm Game
Social media promised independent artists a level playing field — a direct line to fans without the gatekeepers. But somewhere between chasing trending audio and posting three times a day just to stay visible, a lot of creators lost the plot entirely. We talked to performers across the US who decided to stop playing by the algorithm's rules, and what they found on the other side is genuinely surprising.