Spotify, the music streaming service giant, has introduced a bold redesign of its mobile app which clearly takes influence from the likes of TikTok and Netflix.
The new look, which the company claims will "make for a whole new way to sample and discover whatever you might be in the mood for, all on your Home screen," was shown off at Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event in Los Angeles yesterday and is rolling out to Spotify subscribers right now.
While the event made it seem like the new interface will appear as soon as you open the app, don't panic if you don't see it - you actually have to click the 'Music', 'Podcasts & Shows' or 'Audiobooks' buttons at the top of your home screen to see the new look.
According to Musically, Spotify’s mobile app will replace “its existing carousels of music, podcast, and playlist suggestions with a TikTok-style vertical feed of recommendations.”
Below is a video clip from Stuart Dredge showcasing the new design:
So anyway this new Spotify vertical discovery feed that’s being announced tomorrow has… already appeared on my phone 👀 pic.twitter.com/CbGoiIplvkMarch 7, 2023
The TikTok influence in the new design is clear, and may convince some Spotify users to switch to the likes of Apple Music. Still, while TikTok's feed is aimed at keeping you reading, the new Spotify interface is more about surfacing new songs and podcasts you might like, and encouraging you to check them out.
It seems that Spotify is mixing some of TikTok’s laser-targeted algorithm techniques with Netflix’s usage of video clips in order to entice users to click on songs. With Spotify seeing an increase in competition from the likes of Apple Music, the music streaming service is obviously keen to prove it's still relevant, especially after recent news about lost revenue and staff layoffs.
Sound and vision
Spotify also revealed a host of other features it would be adding to the service, including an artificial intelligence DJ that helps create a personalized playlist for listeners, and which introduces tracks using a "a stunningly realistic AI voice."
The AI DJ is currently in beta for Premium subscribers in the US and Canada, and the response so far has been extremely positive, with the company claiming that "fans spend 25% of their listening time with DJ, and they keep coming back for more, with more than half of first-time listeners coming back to listen to DJ the very next day."
Spotify's DJ feature is one of the more interesting AI-led innovations we've seen recently, so this success hopefully means it'll be rolled out to more users soon.
The DJ will appear in the new Music feed, which also includes recommendations for tracks, albums and playlists, plus an animated video that showcases the current artist you're listening to.
The Podcasts & Shows feed also shows personalized recommendations, while automatically generated previews will give you a snippet of the episode or season. Video podcast previews can also help you find new things to listen to.
Another cool new feature is real-time transcriptions for podcasts, allowing you to preview or enjoy a podcast with the sound off; this is a great accessibility feature, too, which we always like to see more of.
The Spotify Audiobooks feed, meanwhile, keeps your purchased books at the top, and you can preview new books for five minutes before you buy. If you like what you hear in any of the feeds, it's now easier to add your choice to your collection, and you can also explore further works by the artists.
In the Stream On event, Spotify was keen to stress how important the relationship between listeners and artists is, and by giving artists and creators more ways to showcase their work in the new dynamic interface, Spotify could once more be seen as a powerful way for a band or artist to grow their audience. Recently, Spotify's relationship with artists has often been strained, especially compared to the likes of Tidal and Bandcamp, rivals that like to boast about how supportive they are of the artists on their platforms.
Spotify will also offer concerts and merchandise for the first time, creating a new way for artists (and the service) to earn revenue. Will these changes help mend Spotify's relationship with some high-profile deserters? We shall see.
Other new features include Smart Shuffle, which will intelligently add music to your playlist to maintain the vibe you're after, as well as Spotify Clips and Countdown Pages that allow for artists to customize their pages with video.
These new features (apart from AI DJ) should be available to all Spotify users with iOS and Android devices, and hopefully the AI DJ feature will roll out globally soon.
