Numbers, numbers, numbers. They are all around us, making the world quantifiable and things comparable. They influence our perception of value and quality.
The soap for $20 must be better than the $2 one, right? And items priced at $3,99 sell way better compared to $4. It’s called psychological pricing.
Numbers can be used to manipulate our behaviour and our decision-making.
Okay, why do I talk about soap and pricing and numbers? At the start of this year, I left Spotify for Apple Music. But it was only a couple of days ago that I realised how free of any numbers Apple’s streaming service is. No monthly listeners, no plays, no likes—nothing.
And I also felt how liberating it is—consciously and unconsciously.
The Measurement of Music
Numbers have always played a significant role in the music industry. Charts were compiled through record sales and radio plays. In the end, for better or worse, it’s a business like any other.
