Streaming in 2026

Part 1/4: From Consumption to Engagement

For the next few posts, I want to drill into streaming and our love / hate relationship with it. I heard a phrase recently from someone working in digital distribution: “We’ve moved from the era of consumption into engagement.” It stuck with me as it quietly explains the significant shift from the early streaming model to now, and why many of the old assumptions around streaming no longer hold.

For a long time, success was framed around access and exposure – playlists, reach, volume. That logic is breaking down. DSPs are paying far more attention to engagement signals and using them to decide what gets supported, surfaced, or ignored. This is where fans can really support artists – showing appreciation by liking, sharing, and listening to the music has positive effects on streaming and helps it reach more fans.

Streaming success is complex: less control; less humanity; more saturation and competition: but with greater potential rewards. We’ll dive into what engagement looks like next.

Please let me know how you tend to listen to music - which platforms you use - and, if you’re an artist, what your main challenges are when it comes to streaming.