History's Greatest Idiots

Author: History's Greatest Idiots

This hilarious history podcast explores the epic failures, disasters, and terrible decisions that have shaped our world, providing us with memorable lessons to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Hosts Lev and Derek uncover the funniest blunders, scandals, spectacular mistakes, and jaw-dropping screw-ups from the dawn of time to today. Perfect for history buffs who love a little comedy with their knowledge! New episodes bi-weekly featuring famous disasters, military blunders, political scandals, and legendary bad life choices. Educational entertainment at its finest!
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Language: en

Genres: Comedy, Comedy Interviews

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The Controversial Rise of Daniel Ek and Spotify - Part Two (Season 6 Episode 1)
Episode 1
Sunday, 16 November, 2025

Welcome to Season 6! In Part Two of our Spotify saga, things get MUCH darker. If you thought underpaying musicians and overpaying Joe Rogan was bad, wait until you hear about the military drones, ICE recruitment ads, and the AI-generated music flooding the platform. This is the story of how a music streaming company became a weapons investor, government propagandist, and AI content farm, all while claiming they can't afford to pay artists more.⚠️ REMINDER: We're still hosted on Spotify's platform. This is basically career suicide at this point, but we're committed to the bit.The AI Apocalypse:Spotify's secret "Perfect Fit Content" program: commissioning fake artists to avoid paying real musicians since 2016How AI tools like Suno and Udio flooded Spotify with millions of fake tracksAventhis: The "verified artist" with 1 million monthly listeners whose entire catalogue is AI-generated (57 tracks in 4 months!)Why your Discover Weekly is now filled with AI slop instead of actual human musiciansDeezer implements AI detection tools. Spotify's response? cricketsSpotify Goes to War:Daniel Ek's €700 million ($800 million) personal investment in Helsing, an AI military weapons companyHow the CEO of a music platform became chairman of a company developing drone warfare technologyArtists pull their catalogues in protest: Deerhoof, Massive Attack (possible Banksy collaborators!), and moreThe brutal irony: "We can't afford to pay musicians more" but somehow there's $700 million for battlefield AIDaniel Ek's defence: "AI, mass and autonomy are driving the new battlefield" (yes, really)The ICE Recruitment Scandal:Spotify runs U.S. government ads with phrases like "millions of dangerous illegals are rampaging the streets"Users get ICE recruitment propaganda between their favourite songsSpotify's defence: "We're just following orders" (a historically great excuse!)The #BoycottSpotify movement becomes a quarterly traditionOh, and Spotify donated $150,000 to Trump's 2025 inaugurationThe Swedish Tax Rebel:Daniel Ek's 2016 open letter threatening to move Spotify out of Sweden"The country that gave me free healthcare and education wants me to pay taxes? Outrageous!"How Sweden actually reformed its laws to accommodate billionaires... and Ek STILL complainedThe wealth tax that cost Sweden $166 billion in capital flightThe Good Stuff (Because Balance):Yes, Spotify democratized music access (100+ million songs for $10/month is incredible)The Partner Program actually helps small-to-mid-size podcasters earn decent moneySpotify paid out $10 billion to the industry in 2024 (10x more than in 2014)The algorithm genuinely helps people discover new artists...But does any of this excuse the rest?The Future:Daniel Ek steps down as CEO in January 2026 (but stays as Executive Chairman, pulling the strings)Can Spotify maintain profitability while fighting Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon?Will governments regulate AI-generated music?Can Spotify's brand recover from Joe Rogan + military drones + ICE ads + underpaid artists?Want to actually support artists?Buy their music directlyGo to their concertsBuy their merchDownload, don't just streamIf you stream, loop their songs on repeat (300 streams = 1 album sale)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/HistorysGreatestIdiots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/historysgreatestidiots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/historysgreatestidiots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Artist: Sarah Chey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fiverr.com/sarahchey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Animation: Daniel Wilson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wilson_the_wilson/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music: Andrew Wilson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/andrews_electric_sheep⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠