"Inside the booming black market for Spotify playlists"

From March:

“Streams are now the only way to really reach people you otherwise wouldn’t be able to connect with.

...

There’s just one catch: King essentially paid to be added to those Spotify playlists. He’s one of countless artists who have compensated curators to check out his tracks—or in the case for some of his contemporaries, to be added to specific playlists—to gain valuable streams and attention.

...

The biggest of those playlists can essentially manufacture hits.