If you've ever taken a look at Machine Head's Top 10 songs on Spotify, you might be surprised to see their 2016 single "Is There Anybody Out There" as number one. The song has 75 million streams, with "Locust" coming in second at a distant 43 million streams. So what happened? Why is a standalone 2016 single the top Machine Head song on Spotify? Frontman Robb Flynn thinks it might have just come at the right time.
Flynn said in an interview with Gustavo Maiato that he's proud of the song being popular, but doesn't feel like Machine Head's top songs on Spotify are representative of the band.
"I'm super proud of that. It's a massive accomplishment. It's kind of crazy, really, 'cause it's not even on an album. It's a standalone [single], which makes it even crazier.
"I think it just came at the right time. I think the world was kind of going through a bunch of crazy shit, and I think that that song just tapped into something.
"I think a lot of songs have more to do with algorithms on Spotify. Like if you go to The Beatles' Top 10 [songs on Spotify], the number one song for The Beatles is 'Here Comes The Sun'. And I was, like, 'Here Comes The Sun'? It's fucking George Harrison singing, and I'm, like, 'What the fuck? That's not my Beatles.' But somehow the algorithm made that be the number one thing. I think it's got a lot to do with playlists.
"I love Spotify and I listen to Spotify a lot, but I don't think it's a very true representation of what Machine Head's fanbase really listens to. Like, there's not a single song from The Blackening on there in the Top 10. I'm, like, 'Look, Spotify algorithm, that's not even fucking correct.'"
According to setlist.fm, "Is There Anybody Out There?" isn't even in the Top 20 most played Machine Head songs either.
