Stream manipulations and its role in the music industry : - A qualitative study of how manipulated streams color today's music industry (from a marketing perspective).

The digitalization and emergence of the Internet have given rise to new platforms providing marketing, distribution and revenues to happen in the same place, a significant difference from the past. New platforms have become new places for artists to compete for, for instance, positions on toplists. This is the fundamental background to the occurrence of manipulated streams in the music industry. The purpose of this study has been to examine and create a deeper understanding of manipulated streams and its role in the music industry, from a marketing perspective. Thus, the study aims to provide knowledge on the meaning of having high streaming numbers, why streams are being manipulated and how they are used in marketing. The empirical data is based on six interviews with people from different parts of the music business. The results indicate that manipulated streams affect expectations of the artist and provide an opportunity for the artist to stand out in today's information overload. The artists have gained more power and influence as they are now being compared with influencers, and can influence the way the audience listens to music. Moreover, the findings also indicate that actors and platforms of the music industry need adjustments to encounter the phenomenon of manipulated streams. Lastly, we suggest that future research should focus on how to prevent the occurrence of manipulated streams, in addition to social media's effect on cognitive behaviours of the users in relation to high streaming numbers.