Spotify announces new AI feature to create playlists
Spotify has announced the beta version of its newest idea, Prompted Playlists.
Spotify is the largest music streaming platform in the world, with 713 million listeners across the world.
The company is regularly introducing new features and finding new ways to enhance users' experience.
"Equally important is our dedication to delivering real innovation and growth for the artists who leverage the power of Spotify to connect with their fans," says Gustav Söderström, Spotify’s Co-President, CPO and CTO
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Spotify has long been using its algorithmic technology to help curate music and playlists for listeners and introduce them to new music.
"You've seen that in Discover Weekly and Release Radar, which quietly predict what you might love."
"You've also seen it in the tools that let you shape and refresh your own playlists with precision, such as Smart Shuffle, playlist song suggestions, and mixing tools."
Prompted Playlists
Now a new feature that was announced on 10 December has had the world talking: Prompted Playlists.
Prompted Playlists let you describe exactly what you want to hear and set the rules for a personalised playlist.
"This feature taps into your entire Spotify listening history, all the way back to day one."
How to use it
As the name suggests, users literally type in prompts and let Spotify curate a playlist for them based on those prompts.
The company gave examples of how users could do this by delivering prompts:
You could ask for "music from my top artists from the last five years," then push it further with "and feature deep cuts I haven't heard yet."
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Or you could request "high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs for a cool-down," and layer on something like "include music from this year's biggest films and most-talked-about TV shows that match my taste."
You choose how broad or specific you want to go.
You can also fine-tune the results by editing the initial prompt or simply start a new prompt and playlist.
Each song in the playlist will also have a description and context that tells you the story behind the recommendation.
"You can also set it to refresh daily or weekly so your playlist always stays new and in sync with your world."
Why it matters
"We're entering a moment where you don’t just listen to Spotify, you control it," says the company.
Söderström added that Prompted Playlists don’t just passively learn from you but literally listen to you.
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He describes this feature as "moving into a new era: one that gives you, the user, more control than ever before."
Prompted Playlists bring all your wildest playlist ideas to life using just the English language.
The company also suggests that it’s good for artists, as it unlocks a smarter way to get their music to new listeners.
Prompted Playlists is still in beta mode and only available to Premium listeners in New Zealand.
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