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> it’d make business sense to use the equivalent of store brand music

They've been accused of almost exactly this: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-is-creating-i...

Spotify denies doing this but you can google to find a lot of controversy over fake artists on Spotify.

A more recent variation on the theme: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/19/swedish-comp...

I noticed Google Play do this with Soundcloud Rap.

Their amorality has caused me to enjoy SoundCloud Rap at a formidable age, now I cannot shake it. My kids listen to it, swear amorally, and the cycle continues.

All because Google Play didn't want to shell out an extra 60 cents per year for paid Rappers.

What???

I think they tend to play what is cached locally, to save on streaming costs.

That’s certainly possible, but I’d expect licensing costs to dwarf bandwidth costs.

You have no idea how little artists make from selling music on platforms. The money is in the live performances and merchandise.