Rules regarding external links (e.g. Bandcamp)?

[saved]

Can anyone clarify what these rules are please, and can we even do it? I have searched in the KB but can't find anything. Another search led me to find several Ideas about using external links that have been closed or marked inactive due to lack of support. Very disappointing.

Yet again I am not bothering to log in to Spotify because I'm listening to unplayable tracks I own and can't see the point just to play them, although I would love to share them providing the artist received due payment, whether by direct donation or through an agreement with Spotify.

Personally, I would like to see Spotify put even half the energy they have invested in Facebook and Twitter integration into doing what Spotify should be all about, i.e. making great music available to all users AND rewarding all those wonderful artists out there who are too concentrated on their music to play the full media game. Many of them don't have big-time labels and management hyping them to the hilt and doing it all for them.

Spotify keep telling us their mission is to include as much music as possible. Well, they could start with Bandcamp integration if they really mean it. Increasingly that's where I go for a site that's genuinely all about music.

So...

1.  What ARE the current rules please?

2.  I would love to know if other users really don't care, or whether these topics have just been missed and would have been better supported if people took/had more time to read through the Ideas sections.

[Soundofus]

Hello @saved

As far as I know and can answer, as we are a Spotify community, the good manners, when you want link to an artist, is to link to the music available on Spotify.

As long as you post link(s) to music available on Spotify, you can, of course, give informations about an artist, with a website link for example, but in any case you can't post link with a player to listen music outside of Spotify.

Spotify community, is about Spotify 🙂 

[saved]

Hi @Soundofus

Good manners prompted me to check on the rules before posting anything I shouldn't. 🙂

My thinking was that by an agreement between Spotify and Bandcamp (or Soundcloud or other similar sites), then the music available there WOULD be classified as music available on Spotify.

Then again, the bulk of artists there might have made conscious decisions NOT to be included on Spotify, and I totally respect that. There's also the possibility that such sites value their independence so highly that they would not agree to integration. I also understand and respect that, now more than ever.

I'll say no more and continue to go elsewhere for a wider range of eclectic music.

I think the lack of response from other users has already answered my second question.

Thanks for taking the time to respond - it's appreciated. 🙂

[Soundofus]

Hello @saved

To complete a bit my previous answer, I would say that, in my opinion, "Bandcamp" and "Soundcloud" to name these two, are like "laboratories" for lots of new young bands. Very often, when they receive good feedback there for their music, they go the next step. I mean getting their music on streaming services.

Personally, as I have the luck to have a large number of followers on Spotify and some playlists with a good audience, I receive, every day, emails from bands or representatives, asking me to listen their new releases on Soundcoud (for example). As I have decided, when I started, to only use Spotify for discover and share new music, my answer is always the same : "As soon as the band will have music available on Spotify, I will consider, if it fits my taste, to, maybe, include songs in one of my playlists."

And, once again, this community being Spotify dedicated, then it's normal to post here only links to listen music on Spotify.

Regards 🙂