Episode 04: The Algorithm of Forgetting - Connie Converse and Lost Music
How many artists have slipped through the cracks of history? And how many are disappearing now—not because of industry gatekeepers, but because of the algorithm?
In this episode we take a look at the growing mountain of books on my metaphorical nightstand - including Cory Doctorow, Tori Amos and Howard Fishman's wonderful bio of Connie Converse. You can't get signed eBooks and I was so happy to see Cory and Tori live and in person here in Union Square.
Speaking of the folk musician history almost erased—Connie Converse. Her songs, recorded in the 1950s, never found an audience in her time.
We dig into her story, the challenges of being an artist in a time when the industry had one narrow lane for success, and how today’s algorithm-driven platforms aren’t all that different. Instead of record execs, it’s engagement metrics deciding what gets amplified and what disappears.
This ties into some of what Cory Doctorow has been writing about—how platforms turn from enablers to enforcers, pushing independent creators into a corner. And Tori Amos, ever the advocate for artists carving their own path, just put out a book for kids about creativity (Tori was on the soundtrack to my youth—now she’s influencing new generations).
Also in this episode:
📱 A final update on my Dumb Phone experiment—where friction actually helped and where I just needed a map.
📖 A look at Howard Fishman’s book on Connie Converse and why book readings might be the best place to find your people.
Check out the episode and dig into more:
📚 To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse by Howard Fishman
🔗 Bookshop.org | Books Are Magic | Howard Fishman’s Website | Cory Doctorow
Connie Converse wrote songs in the 1950s that feel like they belong to another time—maybe even this one. Introspective, deeply personal, and years ahead of the folk revival, her music never found an audience. By 1974, after years of struggling to be heard, she packed up her life, wrote goodbye letters, and drove off. She was never seen again.
So why are we talking about her now?
Because history has a way of circling back. Decades later, a few of her recordings surfaced, and slowly, she found the audience she never had in her lifetime. But it raises a bigger question: how many artists have slipped through the cracks of history? And how many are disappearing now—not because of industry gatekeepers, but because of the algorithm?
And it’s about the eerie parallels between the rigid music industry of the 1950s and the data-driven landscape we live in today.
Take a listen, and if Connie’s music moves you, consider supporting the indie bookstores that keep stories like hers alive: Bookshop.org, Books Are Magic, or learn more from Howard Fishman’s book.
Here's the YouTube Video:
PS: Thanks to Jackie for the suggestion.