Music Listeners for Interview - Resisting Recommender Algorithms

Do you dislike streaming platform algorithms? Looking to interview music listenners about resisting music recommender systems Hey everyone! I'm a bachelor's student working on my thesis on how music listeners navigate, push back against, or just ignore algorithmic recommendations on streaming platforms like Spotify. What's this about? We hear a lot about how algorithms shape what we listen to but less discussed is what we do about it. I'm interested in the moments when you don't want the algorithm to decide. When you: Ignore the recommendations and listen to your own playlists/albums instead Deliberately "train" the algorithm by liking/disliking certain songs Avoid personalized suggestions Seek out music outside what the platform suggests – on Reddit, YouTube, friends, record stores Feel frustrated about the music recommendation systems defining your music taste Have ever thought "this isn't for me" and looked for other ways to consume music than through the algorithm Who am I looking for? If you use Spotify (or another streaming platform) regularly If you've felt rejection about algorithmic recommendations If you have any strategies – big or small – for shaping your own listening experience If you're willing to chat for around 30 minutes online (video or audio, whatever you prefer) No expertise needed, just personal experience. Why does this matter? Most research on algorithms focuses on what they do, not how people live with them. By sharing your experiences, you'll help understand how listeners maintain their autonomy, identity, and taste in a time of algorithmic curation. Comment below if you are interested, and I'll DM you, or send me a direct message, or email me [email redacted]. Happy to answer questions here or in DMs. Thanks for reading!