My Internet: Micah Singleton
The music tech reporter pays for many, many streaming services.
Embedded is your essential guide to what’s good on the internet, from Kate Lindsay and Nick Catucci.🧩
Every Friday, we quiz a very cool “very online” person to get their essential guide to what’s good on the internet.
Today we welcome Micah Singleton, the Director of Technology Coverage at Billboard, where he writes the weekly newsletter Plugged In. Micah still listens to albums, posts to Instagram strictly while on vacation, and is excited for the metaverse, despite its inevitable costs. —Nick
Would you say that you have an Instagram aesthetic? How would you describe it?
My aesthetic is to never post myself and only post photos of landscapes when I take a vacation. Essentially my Instagram looks like an old issue of Travel + Leisure.
Do you ever tweet? Why?
I tweet but only for work. I do look at my feed pretty often—Twitter is still the best platform for real-time news to date.
Who's the coolest person who follows you?
This largely depends on your definition of cool but I’m going to go with the R&B singer Elhae.
Where do you tend to get your news?
In terms of platforms, either Twitter or email. As for sources, I’m consistently reading The New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, WSJ, The Verge, and CNN on occasion.
What's your favorite non-social media app?
1Password. It’s the most useful app on my phone and has been since the day I signed up for it. Everyone should use a password manager.
What are you willing to pay for online?
Content. My list of subscriptions from content providers is lengthy, and shows no signs of slowing down. From TV & film (Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, ESPN+, YouTube Premium, Prime Video, Showtime) to music (Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music) to cable replacements (YouTube TV) and the aforementioned news subscriptions, I’m more than happy to pay when creators provide excellent content.
Do you subscribe to any Substacks or other independent newsletters? What are your favorites?
Casey Newton’s Platformer, Matthew Belloni’s What I’m Hearing, Mark Gurman’s Power On, Dan Runcie’s Trapital, and Marc Stein’s fantastic NBA newsletter are my favorites at the moment.
Do you have an opinion on Twitter Spaces or Clubhouse?
It’s talk radio on a new platform for the modern age. With less regulation, organization, and direction.
How excited—or apprehensive—are you about the metaverse?
I think the metaverse will change how we connect with each other much like the iPhone did nearly 15 years ago, and similarly that change will have a number of positive and negative effects on society as a whole. So while I’m always excited about the evolution of society it will (likely) bring forth, that shift will come at a cost, as it always has.
What's a playlist, song, album, or style of music you’ve streamed a lot lately?
R&B is my favorite genre, and I’m old, so I still love albums. I listen to everything but recently I’ve been listening to The Weeknd’s excellent new album Dawn FM, Blxst’s EP No Love Lost, Mereba’s EP AZEB, Elhae’s new single FOMO, and Tems' fantastic debut project For Broken Ears.
If you could only keep Netflix, Disney, HBO Max, or one other streaming service, which would it be, and why?
Disney. I love Marvel and I’d hate to miss the new shows they roll out seemingly every six weeks.
What's one thing you recommend for maintaining a healthy relationship with the internet?
Constant separation. Stop reading this and take a walk.
What's one wish you have for the internet in 2022?
Civility and patience.
Thanks Micah! Sign up for his newsletter and follow him on Twitter.
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