Pop singer-songwriter Halsey has built a career on experimentation and reinvention. From the rebellion of Badlands (2015) to the raw introspection of Manic (2019), she’s never shied away from taking creative risks or expressing vulnerability through music. Yet the latest revelation in her career sheds light on a disturbing reality within today’s music industry—one where statistics and algorithms dictate what gets made.
In a recent Apple Music interview, Halsey revealed that her record label, Columbia Records, has barred her from creating a new album, citing what they considered “underperformance” and disappointing sales following her 2024 release, The Great Impersonator. Despite the album debuting at No.1 on Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts, Halsey has found herself at a crossroads.
“I can’t make an album right now, I’m not allowed to,” she told interviewer Zane Lowe. “The Great Impersonator didn’t perform the way that they thought it was going to, and if I’m being honest with you, the album sold 100,000 f***ing copies first week—that is a pretty big first week, especially for an artist that hasn’t had a hit in a long time.”
For many musicians, those numbers would mark a career high. Halsey explains that she was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder in 2022, taking a necessary break following her diagnosis. Despite what would be considered a strong first week for an artist returning from a hiatus, success is constantly being redefined in today’s streaming landscape.
“Everyone wants manic numbers from me,” Halsey said. “I can’t do that every single time. It should be good enough that I do it once in a while, but it’s not.”
The 31-year-old “Colors” singer signed with Columbia Records in 2023, following her departure from Capitol. Since then, she’s faced an increasingly common dilemma in the modern music industry. Streaming platforms and record labels now rely heavily on data—tracking playlist placements, skip rates, virality, and social media—to predict performance. Those numbers determine which artists receive funding, marketing backing, and creative freedom.
The Great Impersonator didn’t fit the algorithm’s mould, and despite critical acclaim, it failed to meet internal “benchmarks.” Such outcomes are seen as failures, especially when contrasted with megastars who flood the charts with highly publicized releases.
This fixation on going viral has distorted how both labels and listeners define success. Music is no longer valued for its emotional impact but for its ability to trend online. The industry now prioritizes formula over originality, encouraging artists to replicate hits rather than explore new creative directions, which has led to a growing sense of sameness.
“What would be considered a success for most artists—a success story—is a failure in the context of the kind of success that I’ve had previously. And that’s the hardest part of having been a pop star once,” said Halsey.
Perhaps the most worrying part of Halsey’s story isn’t the numbers; it’s the loss of autonomy and control. For a platinum-selling musician with a devoted fanbase and years of proven success to be told she can’t release new music reveals just how little power even established artists hold in today’s corporate-driven industry.
At its core, Halsey’s story reflects a crisis at the heart of modern music, one where art is losing to analytics. The same tools that once democratized the industry through streaming are now being used to standardize it, pushing artists toward blueprints that please algorithms, radio stations, and executives.
In a world where every note, lyric, and album rollout is optimized for engagement, Halsey’s struggle reminds us that art isn’t meant to serve the algorithm, and it shouldn’t have to.