Zoning out

Good morning Staker! Here’s what’s cookin’ today: Spotify helps users identify AI generated music; Are some sugars healthier than others; and what’s with all the new grandparent nicknames?  

Let’s get into it!

Spotify released its 2026 Q1 earnings report the other day and announced the platform now has 293 million subscribers, by far the most of any music streaming platform.

After presenting its earnings, the company also announced it will soon launch verification badges to help users distinguish between AI-generated music and human-created music.

“In the AI era, it’s more important than ever to be able to trust the authenticity of the music you listen to,” Spotify said.

To earn a badge, a musician or group will need to have demonstrated an ability to consistently attract listeners on devices and during live performances.

The company said over 99% of artists regularly listened to on Spotify will have a badge immediately upon the feature’s launch. However, with the amount of AI-generated music increasingly being uploaded on various platforms, the company is getting ahead of what could eventually become a confusing environment.

For example, rival platform Deezer recently revealed about 44% of all music uploaded daily is synthetic. Sony Music practically has a regular operation devoted to taking down music generated by AI that was trained on artists signed to the label. It has successfully had over 135,000 songs removed, and the verification badge could make it easier to do so moving forward.

It’s well-known that too much added sugar is a detriment to your health. At the same time, some people believe added sugar is bad, but as long as sugar in food is naturally-occurring, it’s okay to consume however much they want.

At the end of the day, registered dietician Dr. Nate Wood, assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, probably explained it best when speaking with ABC News.

"From a metabolic standpoint, honey, maple syrup, date syrup, coconut sugar and white table sugar are all still sugar. They provide calories and raise blood glucose in basically the same way,” he said.

Dr. Maya Feller, a registered dietician who spoke with Good Morning America, said the question shouldn’t be whether or not the sugar is naturally-occurring, but what someone is interested in doing with it.

"If people are looking for something 'natural,' my question is, 'Why are you looking for it and what are you hoping to gain from the natural experience?’

When it also contain fibre, for example, Dr. Wood says that’s a measurable benefit that can be weighed against the drawbacks of sugar consumption. "Fibre slows digestion and blunts the rise in blood sugar after eating," he said.

"Something like date paste, which is made from whole blended dates, still contains the fruit's fibre. That means the sugar is absorbed more slowly and it comes packaged with other nutrients from the whole food. That would be a healthier alternative."

Grandchildren are a gift parents hope for, but once they get them, they quickly realize they just went from mom or dad to grandma or grandpa.

While a blessing, some also end up contending with the name and its implications: aging.

According to Ellen J. Klausner, a clinical psychologist who focuses on the psychological issues specific to older adults, it’s perfectly normal to go through this when achieving such a monumental milestone.

“Many…have a hard time reconciling their vibrant, vital and active selves with the traditional names—they don’t fit their self-image,” says Dr. Klausner. “They think of themselves as organizing and running marathons and associate those traditional monikers with a more sedentary lifestyle—the older relative in a rocking chair—that is not their own.”

On the on the other hand, as babies learn to speak, they often accidentally make up nicknames for their grandparents while trying to address them.

Gammy, gamma, papa, papi, pop, etc.—these special terms of endearment are born from the innocence of a goofy child, and always transcend any reservations grandparents have with their newfound title.

“We loved our grandparents, who were called this, and it’s often a reminder to us of them,” Anne McGovern told Good Housekeeping. “As we hear those little voices calling out to us, we sometimes think of our grandparents, and the happiness they brought into our lives and hope we are doing the same.”

May the 4th be with you

How could we not 🤣 Whether you’re a Star Wars geek or just your average admirer, you’re gonna love today’s trivia!