Introduction

The world's largest shadow library made a 300TB copy of Spotify’s most streamed songs, representing over 99% of listens. This massive dataset was distributed via torrents and is the first ‘preservation archive’ for music that is fully open.

What does it mean?

A shadow library is an archive of data that copies content from online platforms without explicit user permission. In this case, the shadow library copied metadata and audio files from Spotify, which represent 99% of the most popular streams.

Why is it important?

This dataset opens up new possibilities for music research and study. It also represents a safe copy of metadata and audio files that can be used for research and preservation.

How does it work?

The shadow library distributed the copied data via torrents, which means users can download and use these datasets without paying or requiring explicit permissions.

What to say?

This dataset marks an important turning point in music digital history. It seems like the shadow library is offering a free and open service to users, which could have significant implications for the music industry.