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In the streaming era, a new gatekeeper stands between record labels and listeners: the playlist professional.
These music geeks, some of whom are former journalists and radio programmers, are employed by the biggest streaming-music services to decide which pop, hip-hop and rock songs appear on their playlists—the digital age’s version of the mixtape. With streaming driving more than 60% of U.S. record-industry revenue, they—not radio DJs—now have the power to control music’s hit-making machine.
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