Last week, my son learned to play “1979”by The Smashing Pumpkins on guitar.
I love that song.
When I asked him how he learned to play it he answered, ”C’mon dad, YouTube…”, then he headed off.
Later when I stuck my head in his room, he was still in front of his screen with the guitar on his lap.
He wasn’t just watching a tutorial anymore.
He was swiping through YouTube shorts:
- Someone explaining alternate tunings
- A breakdown of Billy Corgan’s pedalboard
- Clips from old interviews about the song’s origin and recording process
He’d gone way past “how to play it.”
He was deep in “why it sounds the way it does.”
And honestly, I loved it.
But also…YouTube didn’t just teach him a song, it guided him into a maze of niche fascination.
The algorithm found his spark of interest and said, “Let me show you how deep this rabbit hole goes.”
After twenty+ years in music/tech/media, I’ve watched these systems – recommendation engines, sequencing algorithms, etc. – evolve from moderately helpful discovery tools into something else entirely.
Something that doesn’t just serve up our interests, but actively shapes them.
Here’s what’s worth remembering:
- Algorithm-driven platforms aren’t designed to help you find what you want.
- They’re designed to keep you wanting more.
And if you’re a builder, leader, or creator trying to bring your work or ideas to the word, that difference matters.
The RedThread this week is about understanding the algorithm.
That invisible architecture shaping your attention, your audience, and your business—and what to do about it.
You can read the full newsletter here.
~ Jaime
