Spotify monthly active users have crossed the 500 million mark, the Swedish company announced at a Stream On event. The service also unveiled a new re-imagined user interface and an update to its annual music royalties report.
Among the new features introduced were Showcase, which is a mobile card that will introduce an artist’s music to likely listeners. It also added a discovery mode that will help artists and their teams identify priority songs.
Stream On event
At their annual Stream On event, Spotify has announced a number of new updates and tools to help music-makers connect with fans. Among them are new Countdown Pages which are dedicated spaces for artists to build anticipation for new releases, and a new Showcase feature that will introduce their music to users who are likely to listen.
Artists are also getting more direct access to fans via concert listings and merch sales as well as a new ‘Fans First’ program that will send email notifications to music-lovers who have expressed interest in the artist or their music. All of this comes as Spotify revealed that the number of artists generating $1 million+, and those generating $10,000+, has more than doubled over the last five years.
New re-imagined user interface
Spotify has crossed 500 million monthly active users, so it’s no surprise that they are making some big moves in 2018. They recently unveiled a new re-imagined user interface at their Stream On event.
The re-imagined user interface includes new feeds for discovery in Music, Podcasts & Shows, and Audiobooks. These feeds will show personalized previews of playlists, albums, and podcast episodes.
A lot of work has gone into designing the new re-imagined user interface, and it’s a great example of how Spotify can be innovative while staying true to its core value of delivering a premium experience for music and audio.
The best part is that it’s actually easy to use and works on a range of devices. It is also a very streamlined way to discover and enjoy your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks on the go.
New Feeds for discovery
Spotify is getting a new design that focuses on previews of music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Your Home feed will be vertically scrolling like TikTok or Instagram Stories, with personalized visual and audio previews of albums, playlists, and podcast episodes.
The updates come weeks after the company introduced an AI DJ feature that recommends new tracks to listen to. They’re part of a larger redesign that capitalizes on the company’s investment in personalization technology.
The app’s search tab is also getting a refresh, enabling users to explore Canvas clips that are organized by genre. They can then save them to playlists, follow artists, or share with friends. Similarly, podcasts have been given a vertically scrolling user interface with snippets of audio that are up to 60 seconds long.
Smart Shuffle
The Smart Shuffle feature is a new addition to Spotify that helps users keep their playlists fresh. It breathes new life into carefully curated playlists by shuffling tracks and adding personalised recommendations that perfectly match their vibe.
Listeners love creating playlists to reflect key moments in their lives, or soundtrack moments that matter. But over time, these playlists can get a little boring.
However, Spotify says they can keep their listening sessions fresh by replacing the Enhance button with Smart Shuffle. The new feature adds personalised suggestions that fit your taste, and it can be turned off if you don’t like them.
The music streaming app is also adding a vertical scrolling feed to make it easier to discover new music and podcasts. You can access it by tapping on ‘Music’ or ‘Podcasts & Shows’ in the home screen.
DJ
Spotify is now a top music streaming service, and the company has released a new feature for its premium users. It is known as the DJ feature and it allows users to make customized playlists based on their tastes.
The DJ is an AI-powered tool that helps users curate their playlists. It also helps users discover new music.
Powered by voice tech from Sonantic, a startup Spotify purchased last year, the AI speaks to users in a “stunningly realistic” voice that queues up music based on your musical tastes and listening history.
The DJ is available in beta for Premium users in the United States and Canada, and you can access it by going to your music feed on Home in the Spotify app. It’ll serve you a list of songs and artists along with computer-generated commentary on them, picked just for you.