Category: Entertainment

There’s a Personalization Problem | No Algorithms, Spotify Playlist

There’s a Personalization Problem | No Algorithms, Spotify Playlist

Hey all! Wanted to post an update here since it’s been well a few years maybe? I’ve been absorbed in a number of things, unsurprising things we all deal with. And I’m doing well is maybe the main thing for those who don’t follow my socials (or even those who do, I’ve been deeply inactive on mostly all of them).

Regardless, I’m working up my next book, I expect to see it wrapped up this year in the Fall, launch early 2027. That’s the current goal, I don’t really want to say much else about it. I am very excited to share it with the world once it’s done, and easily is panning out to be my favorite, most challenging project.

In the meantime, I wanted to find a new way to be productive. Something light, inspirational in a way that isn’t too demanding. And then, Monday morning, I saw another bland Spotify Discovery Weekly. And I was subject to more bland music recommendations. And all my YouTube recommendations led me to the same tailor-made rabbit holes they think I want to drift down. The rabbit holes manufactured for me to drift down. Well I was tired of it. I like things that aren’t made for me, or rather I like knowing they exist. A digital world tailored for no one.

I unexpectedly spurred the idea after watching the Mario Movie. My thoughts reflect Toad’s sentiment in the movie: Oh great, Yoshi’s here. And while I am certain they sold a ton of Yoshi merch to the kids, and I am also a devoted Childish Gambino fan (Donald Glover’s musical pseudonym, and voice actor for limited acting range character Yoshi). Tangents aside, the movie to me was bad. But clearly it wasn’t targeted at me. It was at the families, the parents, the children. Not the single, mid-20’s gen-z audience looking for a more well-written, riveting emotional punch from their favorite childhood plumber. Not a lot to choose from, I’m realizing. Maybe the dad from Good Luck Charlie?

Look, point is, that movie was not for me, as many movies are. And instead of not watching it, I think it’s cool TO watch these things. To not just be spoon-fed algorithmically picked-out slop to keep your attention on apps for hours on end. It’s cool to consume media that is thoughtfully picked out by a person with a perspective, with meaning that isn’t to cater to your every whim.

No Algorithms. My new Spotify playlist that I’ll be updating every other week, tailor picked by my musical interest gathered over the last decade-plus of my continued interest in learning new artists, genres and songwriting. Feel free to follow if you want to start listening to music that isn’t made for you. That isn’t personalized by some omniscient algorithm that knows far too much about you. But 1 person, hand-selecting music and trying to make a cohesive setlist for a new experience in music, to discover new artists or to find those songs that aren’t made for you.

Thank you for reading as always. I don’t know if I’ll be active on this blog beyond announcements like this. I may make a few more about this playlist, maybe a throughline I find in making on of these playlist updates. But otherwise, I hope to reconnect later this year with a new book announcement, again really can’t wait to get this one under wraps. Many years of thought have gone into planning, many different iterations on some aspects, and some I’ve been so proud and patient with that I can’t wait to release with this new

NEW COLLECTION – Jack of Stars Out Today!

FeaturedNEW COLLECTION – Jack of Stars Out Today!

I’m so excited to announce that my newest poetry collection, Jack of Stars, is now out on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Stars-Kevin-Flors/dp/B0BPGCB4YC?ref_=ast_sto_dp

I appreciate any and all critique, feedback and support more than I can express here. This collection has been in the works since 2020 and I am so excited to finally see it in print!

If you’re on the fence, or just want to hear what some of the poetry in the collection sounds like, here is a sneak peak on my YouTube channel. Additionally, I will be posting a few more promos just like this one through the week, so make sure to subscribe to that channel if you want to hear more poetry from this collection before making a decision:

Thank you all for the support over the years and I can’t wait to keep growing as a writer with more projects to come!

— Kevin Flors

Subscription Model Mayhem

Subscription Model Mayhem

Written by Kevin Flors

This piece is OPINION based and speculative

I think its quite easy to say that subscription models are invading the way we consume media today. And with the upcoming release of many more subscription services in the coming months — Disney+, Google Stadia, NBC Peacock, and most recently Mario Kart Tour (a SINGLE mobile game played on phones) — it is safe to say that most consumers are starting to feel overwhelmed by monthly payments, not to mention monthly bills for utilities and services. What is the effect these subscription models have now and how will it affect media in the future?

 

The first word that comes to mind with subscription services: “exclusivity.” The power in offering a piece of media everyone talks about only available on your platform is bound to provide great profits. And especially with all the talent and money that goes into creating these “must-see” shows or movies, traditional cable is struggling to compete. Network channels seldom strike gold with limited budget and talent moving to these platforms offering more money and outlets for success. At the same time, however, it is almost impossible nowadays to watch all of these “must-watch” shows in no small part to the many distinct services providing them. Sure, you can jump free trial to free trial just to try and see the shows, but then another show will come up and you’ll be shit out of luck or money.

 

The most telling sign of things to come from subscription service has to be the Peacock, NBC’s own subscription service that is being advertised as “the only place to watch ‘The Office.'” This concerns me because if this subscription service is used mainly to watch one show, then what’s stopping other timeless, extensive shows or media from doing the same, especially if this is successful? And yes, I know the service has other shows and movies on it, but the point still stands in that we might be fast approaching a media world that is blocked by subscription walls and monthly payments.

 

Another telling sign of this, one may be more egregious then most, is the new app Mario Kart Tour, a mobile game that offers a monthly subscription for special features, in-game items, and challenges. All of this might seem harmless, but it’s important to realize that this is for ONE of the thousands of games on the app store (which now also houses its own subscription service). Mobile games have been doing this for years, but the subscriptions themselves have evolved from simply providing ad-free experiences to this, a subscription that blocks features and items in the app that impacts the experience and playability of the app. It is with bated breath I wait for the results of this and how it may transfer to other media forms.

 

Is it too out of left field to see legacy shows like “The Simpsons” or “The Office” hold their own in-house subscription services to watch their shows? The demand surely points to this being an expensive possibility. The thing that brought subscription services in media to the forefront is the curation of content seldom seen from traditional cable service. If this content requires furthered curation, for what would be a lower price individually, then it’s not a leap to say that shows with extensive enough catalogs wouldn’t look into a small monthly fee for their media. And yes, Disney is congregating its content into one platform, but Disney’s content came from a broader distributor of media (cable), so who’s to say major franchises like Marvel and Star Wars won’t birth new subscriptions from Disney’s service?