What happens when the tech platforms care more about engagement and profits than music?

DiS meets music & technology journalist Cherie Hu, the founder of Water & Music, who's spent years mapping how tech giants from Spotify's recommendation algorithms to the venture capital funding streaming platforms. She's built one of music's most essential research operations to help fans and artists understand who really benefits from the current system and how best to use the tech of tomorrow..

00:00 – Introduction

03:20 – Defining practical futurism and collaborative research

05:40 – From Forbes freelancer to community builder

07:55 – The evolution of Water & Music's collaborative model

12:40 – What collaboration enables now vs. the past

17:25 – Music and media's parallel challenge

22:15 – Building relationships and networks in the attention economy

23:50 – Domain specialisation vs. generalist approach in a noisy media landscape

29:20 – Artists and founders engaging with Water & Music

31:40 – Evergreen content, catalog lessons, and growth strategies

37:25 – Community building fundamentals: patience, trust, and institutional memory

40:05 – Math, music, and creativity

42:10 – Defining what community means

43:30 – Sean's Outro

Guest Links:

About the Host:

Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, championing independent music since 2000. Through DiS, he maps music's future while supporting artists and fans building alternatives to platform control.