Kyle Chayka: Algorithms flatten culture and limit our perception of it

„Algorithms shape the way we create art. If digital platforms are shaping consumer taste, what we see as desirable and aspirational as consumers, that then influences what artists create to be consumed. It's almost a chicken or egg thing,“ says Kyle Chayka, American journalist and author of books Filterworld and The Longing for Less in the interview. „Musicians now have an amazing opportunity on TikTok to reach millions of people in a matter of hours. But to reach those audiences, you have to think about what works on TikTok. And it is music that is very short, dense, and very participatory and relatable, it allows some sort of interaction in form of a dance or a meme. And artists feel the pressure to conform.“

Listen to Jonáš Zbořil in conversation with Kyle Chayka about how algorithmic culture makes art boring and predictable, what we mean by algorithmic anxiety and why cafés all over the world look the same.