Music

Digital Extortion by Music Distributors ✅

Eli AzariInvestigative Report

Digital Extortion The New Face of Coercion in the Online Economy Digital extortion is no longer a concept confined to shadowy hackers demanding cryptocurrency in exchange for stolen data. It has evolved into a broad, systemic phenomenon embedded in the everyday infrastructure of the modern internet. From artists and small businesses to independent creators and everyday users, digital extortion increasingly operates in plain sight—often disguised as “policy enforcement,” “automation,” or “standard business practice.” At its core, digital extortion occurs when an individual or organization is coerced into paying money, surrendering rights, or complying with demands under the threat of digital harm. That harm may include loss of access, deletion of content, demonetization, reputational damage, or the disappearance of years of work with a single automated decision. What makes this form of extortion especially dangerous is not just its scale, but its normalization. From Ransomware to Platform Dependence Traditionally, extortion had a clear villain: a criminal making explicit threats. In the […]

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When Music Distribution Turns Into Financial Distress: My Experience With DistroKid’s Subscription Practices

Eli AzariInvestigative Report
Distrokid and Soundcloud Nightmare

I signed up for DistroKid expecting a simple, transparent way to distribute my music. What I got instead was a confusing billing mess, multiple unexplained charges, and a system that makes it nearly impossible to understand what you’re actually paying for.

Despite being charged for an “Ultimate – 5 artists” plan, I was never clearly shown how to properly add or manage multiple artists. Even worse, my credit card was charged more than once, including amounts that don’t fully appear inside my DistroKid account receipts. One charge shows up on my bank statement, but not in DistroKid’s billing history at all—leaving me with no invoice, no explanation, and no accountability.

This post documents exactly what happened, with screenshots, dates, and amounts. If you’re an independent artist trusting automated platforms with your money, this is the kind of experience you need to see before clicking “subscribe.”

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The SoundCloud Mirage: How the “Artist-First” Pioneer Became a Digital Trap

Eli AzariInvestigative Report

SoundCloud once sold itself as the most artist-friendly platform on the internet—a digital sanctuary where independent creators could upload freely, build audiences, and retain control of their identity. For years, that promise felt real. But somewhere along the way, the platform transformed. What was once a community-first ecosystem has become a tightly controlled, paywalled machine that profits from confusion, dependency, and the slow erosion of artist autonomy.

Today, SoundCloud’s business model hinges on a subtle but dangerous bait-and-switch. Artists are encouraged to pay for distribution, visibility, and professionalism—only to discover that the moment they stop paying, they lose control over their own profiles, metadata, and public identity. Music is misattributed, profiles are algorithmically altered, and creators are left powerless to fix errors unless they re-enter the subscription loop.

This is not just bad UX. It’s a structural problem that turns artists into tenants on rented digital land, where their name, reputation, and creative history can be distorted or erased at the platform’s discretion. The “SoundCloud Mirage” is the illusion of empowerment—one that collapses the moment an artist tries to leave.

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Episode 7 – The Canadian Dream

EliAzariOfficialLyric Podcast

      The Canadian Dream Eli Azari Listen Now Your browser does not support the audio element. YouTube Spotify Apple Music This track captures the current state of mind — pressure, reflection, and momentum. Written and produced by Eli Azari. © Feel E Entertainment. All rights reserved. eliazari.com I still remember filling out the paperwork to become a permanent resident. Married in 2011 in Kitchener city hall to a Levantine girlfriend who was back in Israel with roots connecting to the land. Now turned, my legal wife has given me a new world to live in, which I then proceeded to discover. I never imagined leaving Israel for Canada until I decided to pursue the Canadian Dream.     Leaving: You would think I would have difficulty leaving my nest behind, but I am of mixed origin. ✝️🇵🇱🇺🇦🇷🇺East Europe, 🇦🇿Azerbaijan, and 🇮🇱 Israel were not my first home. It was my 2cnd, my 3rd which makes 🍁🇨🇦 Canada my […]

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