Tag: SpotifyEverywhereEvent

How Spotify’s Newest Personalized Experience, Blend, Creates a Playlist for You and Your Bestie

August 31, 2021

Bonding with a friend or loved one over your favorite shared music creates a relationship like no other. Starting today, Spotify’s latest personalized experience, Blend, is rolling out of beta to Spotify Free and Premium users globally to help sync your tastes even further—and put your music compatibility to the test.  

We launched Blend Playlists in beta in early June as a new way for two users to merge their musical tastes into one shared playlist made just for them, making it even easier for users to connect, discover, and bond over the music they love with one another. Now, the experience includes new cover art to easily identify each of your Blend playlists, taste match scores to see your listening preferences compared to your friends’, and shareable data stories that are unique to every listening pair and can be shared across social channels. 


Blend, which will be updated daily and adapts based on what listeners stream, combines the best of Spotify’s personalization capabilities and collaborative playlist functionality into a single shared playlist, making it easy for users to get into a social listening session that is made just for them. But creating this experience was no simple feat. There’s a massive team behind the experience, blending their own different skills and expertise to bring it to life.

We got to know four of the Spotify team members who contributed to create Blend, and asked them about their role. They each also shared a little on why they’re so excited to introduce it to the world, and how music has played a part in their own relationships.

Arjun Narayen, Product Manager

“There were dozens of people across the company who worked really hard to bring Blend to life,” he said. “I’m lucky to be a part of a team that’s similarly passionate about social listening and thinks music is something that can help bring people together. Part of my role in bringing Blend to life has been clearing a path for our talented engineering, design, and insights teams to bring ideas to the table, and then help narrow in on a simple product that’s fun to use and easy to understand.”

Enjoy All Your Music and Podcasts Offline on Smartwatches Running Wear OS

August 11, 2021

Music and podcasts have the power to move us—but what if they could also move with us? Forget controlling your favorite shows and the latest anthems from your phone or computer: Sometimes you need the freedom to dive into any song or episode on the go. With our latest update for smartwatches running Wear OS, including the new Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic, audiophiles will soon be able to do just that.

In the coming weeks, Spotify users will be able to play their favorite playlists, albums, and podcasts with their smartwatches that run Wear OS. By having Spotify on your wrist, you’re more free to run, dance, shop, cook, and socialize—and control your music and podcasts at the same time. Plus, we’re excited to unveil one of the most requested features by our users: the ability to download all of your favorite music and podcasts to your smartwatch.* 

With this new feature, Premium users will be able to download their favorite albums, playlists, and podcasts to listen offline. Free users will be able to stream their tunes in Shuffle Mode using a WiFi or cellular connection, as well as download any of their favorite podcasts directly to the watch.

Here’s how:

  1. From your watch, find the music and podcasts you want to download on your watch.
  2. Tap “Download to watch.”
  3. To check on the progress, head over to the Downloads section on your watch.
  4. Once the selected playlists, albums, or podcasts in your library are downloaded, you’ll see a little green arrow next to their names.
  5. Connect your headphones and start listening, no matter where you are!

This new experience follows a reimagined app and new sleek design that make the Spotify experience for smartwatches running Wear OS better than ever. Beyond seamlessly playing, pausing, and skipping tracks or podcast episodes, you can also control playback for everything from wireless speakers to TVs to gaming consoles using Spotify Connect—and directly from your wrist.

Look out for Spotify on smartwatches running offline Wear OS from the likes of Fossil, Mobvoi, and Suunto rolling out over the coming weeks. Head to Google Play to download the app or update your watch to the latest version. Once the new features are available, you’ll be on your way.

*Requires your smartwatch to run at least Wear OS 2.0 or higher. Please make sure you are also running the latest version of Spotify on your device.

Enjoy More Ways Than Ever to Use Spotify on Your Apple Watch—Now With Downloads

May 21, 2021

Your playlists and favorite shows can quickly turn from mundane to momentous—no matter where you are or what you’re doing. With smart speakers, tablets, video game consoles, and TVs, there are more ways than ever to enjoy your favorite music and podcasts from any room of the house. But what if you’re looking for something a little more . . . mobile? 

Starting today, we’re rolling out the ability to download your favorite playlists, albums, and podcasts on Apple Watch. All users are already able to play tracks, albums, playlists, and podcasts, and now Premium users will also be able to download everything they’re listening to for a true offline and phone-free experience. This is on top of all the other Spotify features on Apple Watch—from Connect & Control to streaming to Siri. 


Check out four great ways to enjoy your favorite music and podcasts on your Apple Watch:

Control playback in your home or on the go

Now, all users can control playback—seamlessly playing, pausing, and skipping tracks or podcast episodes—directly from your wrist. You can also use your Apple Watch to control playback from everything, whether it’s wireless speakers, TVs, or gaming consoles, using Spotify Connect.

Download your playlists and leave your phone behind

Starting today, we’re beginning to roll out the ability for Premium users to download playlists and podcasts to Apple Watch for offline use. Heading on a hike but still want to take your tunes? Here’s how: 

  1. Find the music and podcasts you want to download on your watch. 
  2. Select the playlist, album, or podcast and press the three dots (…) and choose “Download to Apple Watch.” 
  3. To check on the progress, head over to the Downloads section on the watch. 
  4. Once playlists, albums, or podcasts in your library are downloaded, you’ll see a little green arrow next to their names.
  5. Connect your headphones and start listening, no matter where you are!

Being able to download music and podcasts complements the existing feature of being able to stream* your favorites from the watch, and now you don’t even have to take your phone with you. It’s perfect for that next run, or for keeping both hands focused while you’re cooking. Leave your phone behind and still stay connected to the music and podcasts you love.

This is the first iteration of the highly requested download experience for Spotify on the Apple Watch. We want to know your thoughts, so head over to our Community page to share your feedback. As always, we continuously make improvements to the overall experience.

Let Siri know what you want to play

With Siri support on Apple Watch, all users can just say “Hey, Siri” followed by your command to play your favorite songs, artists, albums, playlists, and podcasts. You can also “like” music, ask what’s currently playing, and control your media settings, like volume, skip track, play, and pause. Be sure to end each command with “on Spotify” so Siri knows which service to access. Try this on for size: “Hey, Siri, play my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify.”

The new overall experience for Spotify on Apple Watch is rolling out to all users globally over the coming weeks. Users can either update their watches to the latest version or download the app on the App Store.

*Requires Apple Watch Series 3 or later, with watchOS 6.0+ (recommend 7.1+) with a cellular connection or wifi and a Spotify Premium account. Please make sure you are also running the latest version of Spotify on your iPhone.

Introducing New Spotify Mixes: Personalized Playlists Featuring Your Favorite Artists, Genres, and Decades

March 31, 2021

Recently, we’ve been working on a new family of personalized playlists: Spotify Mixes. These mixes, built with you in mind, start with the songs you like and update with songs we think you’ll love. They’ll be rolling out starting today to Spotify users globally.

Sound familiar? It is: Spotify Mixes were inspired by Daily Mix, our most popular personalized playlist among users. And since personalization is our thing, we’re always iterating and improving our products in order to provide the best possible audio experience for our listeners. 

Last month at our virtual event, Stream On, we announced that we would be evolving and expanding our beloved Daily Mix family by adding more playlists that are increasingly personalized to you and evolve over time—so you have more recommendations to choose from based on your moods and interests. 

Gustav Söderström, Spotify’s Chief R&D Officer, said it best: “There isn’t just one Spotify experience. There are actually more like 345 million different Spotify experiences—one for each listener. Every day, half a trillion events—whether they are searches, listens, likes, or countless other actions—take place on Spotify, powering and guiding our machine learning system. This gives us the ability to drive discovery in a way that audio has never seen before.” 

Now, we’re excited to share three new mix categories with clearer names that are easier to understand and remember, that will evolve with you: artist mix, genre mix, and decade mix. Based on the music you already love, while offering a new opportunity for discovery, these new Spotify Mixes represent the next generation of focused, personalized offerings at Spotify—right at your fingertips.

 

Each mix category will have several playlists featuring artists, genres, and decades you listen to often. Here’s how it works: 

  1. Each mix is created with you at the core, based on your listening habits and the artists, genres, and decades you listen to most. They’re rooted in familiarity, meaning that you won’t just hear your favorite artists, but your favorite songs from those artists. 
  2. Then, we supplement by adding in songs we think you’ll love, meaning they’ll be filled with the music you have on repeat alongside some fresh picks. So whether you want to jam out to a specific artist or hear more music from another decade, there’s a mix just for you. 
  3. Finally, each mix updates frequently, so the possibilities are endless and there’s always something new to discover. They’re designed to grow with you over time, so they’ll take your listening into account to help you discover and dive deeper into your new favorite artist, genre, or decade. 

This feature is rolling out to Free and Premium users globally. Find your new artist mix, genre mix, and decade mix within “Search” in the “Made For You” hub, and hear more about machine learning in the latest episode of Spotify: A Product Story. 

The New Ways to Control Spotify on Your PlayStation 5

November 12, 2020

The highly anticipated PlayStation 5 is here, and with it, new ways to stream your favorite audio from Spotify while in the zone. Just as with the PS4, gamers will be able to listen to their choice of songs and podcasts, perfect for battling zombies or roaming through an open-world adventure.

There’s also a few new ways to take your listening + playing power combo up a notch. Get ready for:

  • A new PS5 Media remote with dedicated Spotify button, ensuring a seamless integration between your music, podcasts, and game. Quickly navigate media with built-in play/pause, fast-forward and fast-reverse controls. The remote also lets users adjust volume and power settings on compatible TVs.
  • Access Spotify directly from the Control Center and fast access playback controls through the Control Center so you can quickly switch between games and apps, skip, and pause your music without leaving your game.
  • Spotify playback on your phone via Spotify Connect for uninterrupted gaming, as well as the ability to browse Spotify to find the very best in gaming soundtracks, playlists, and podcasts.
  • A new Media Home on the PS5, so you’ll have easy access to your media apps. Plus, if you don’t already have Spotify, you’ll be able to download it from the Media Home, link your account, or even create one. 

Plus, users will be able to access the ever-growing platform of curated gaming playlists, gaming-centric podcasts, and Original Game Soundtracks as part of Spotify’s Gaming Hub. Since 2016, the Gaming Hub has brought the best in audio content to gamers. It can help make space for unique audio experiences—no matter what you play or how you choose to listen.

Whether it’s playing on your home speakers, streaming on your smartwatch or listening through your gaming console, Spotify offers countless convenient ways to listen and discover. Level up your gaming with Spotify on PS5 by connecting your devices—and then get listening.

Head to Explore Spotify to learn more.

*Update March 30, 2021: Spotify will now be available on PS4 and PS5 consoles in Russia, Ukraine, Croatia, Slovenia, and Israel.

Three Ways to Navigate to Spotify on Your New Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S

November 10, 2020

Today, the next generation of Xbox consoles available for gamers around the world. Whether you’re going for the new Xbox Series X, the fastest, most powerful Xbox ever, or Xbox Series S, which delivers next-generation performance in the smallest Xbox ever, both offer a high-quality gaming experience and easy-to-access Spotify controls so you can stream your favorite music while in the zone. 

Similar to the Xbox One, you’ll still be able to:

  • Navigate to Spotify straight from the Xbox Guide and listen to your choice of music while you play. 
  • Control playback of Spotify through the Spotify app on the console, or use the Spotify app on mobile or tablet for uninterrupted gaming.

But you’ll also be able to navigate to Spotify in three new ways that will get the music started faster and more easily than ever before: 

  1. Beginning November 17, navigate to Spotify quickly and easily through the “Audio & Music” section of the Xbox Guide. Now you can launch Spotify from the Xbox Guide and  continue your music session without missing a beat. 
  2. Beginning later this year, get a smoother onboarding experience with the Xbox Mobile Companion App for the new Xbox Series. This will become the easiest method to get to Spotify and stream it while gaming, and Spotify will appear in all markets where listed as a top 10 free app in the Xbox Store.
  3. Plus, the new consoles’ new user interface updates deliver enhancements such as a faster launch time and content recommendations in the new Entertainment Hub under “Home.” Run by the Xbox Store Editorial Team, the new content recommendations will help more gamers be aware of the entertainment apps on Xbox, allowing them to find Spotify, install it, or launch directly into the Spotify app. 

Still have questions? Head to Explore Spotify. Then, game on.

Spotify Listeners Can Now Play Podcasts on Google Assistant Devices

October 21, 2020

Digital assistants make multitasking a breeze. You can easily go about your day making requests like “what’s the weather?” or “how many tablespoons are in a cup?” You can even get the jams going just by saying “play today’s top hits.” Now, if you have a Google Assistant-enabled device, there’s another request you can add to the list: hearing your favorite podcasts on Spotify.

To date, users have been able to ask Google Assistant to play their top songs and music-filled playlists on Spotify. Now, we’ve expanded the feature to include your favorite binge-worthy podcasts. All you need to do is utter the simple phrase “Ok Google, play . . . ” and then follow it up with your podcast of choice to continue listening at home—or wherever you may be. Looking for a new show? We have plenty of suggestions for recent fan favorites. 

Getting started is easy. You can listen to Spotify podcasts on Google Assistant-enabled smart speakers and smart displays like the new Nest Audio, Nest Mini, Nest Hub Max, and more. You can also talk to Google Assistant on your phone if you’re on the go. If you’d like help with setup, head this way for assistance.

Need we say more? Just start listening with those magic words, “Ok Google, play . . . ”

“. . . The Michelle Obama Podcast.”

“. . . Living & Learning with Reba McEntire.”

“. . . How to Save a Planet.”

 

All Spotify users can now play and control podcasts through their Google Assistant-enabled device in English globally.

How To Make a Collaborative Playlist

September 29, 2020

Over the past six months, music and podcasts have brought people together like never before—especially when it comes to playlist collaborations. That’s why starting today, we’re giving our Collaborative Playlist feature an upgrade, so users around the world can continue feeling close to their friends and loved ones through the power of music and podcasts, even from afar.  

Collaborative playlists are a great way to swap podcast recommendations, share your latest music discoveries, and build the perfect playlist—together. Look out for four fresh new updates, including a new Add User button in the playlist header (to easily invite others to contribute); a list displaying user avatars in the playlist header (to see who else is contributing); and finally, new user avatars in front of each track or episode (to see exactly who contributed what, and perhaps make fun of their questionable choices).

Getting started is easy, whether you’re creating from scratch or inviting friends to weigh in on an existing playlist.

  1. On your phone or tablet, tap Your Library.
  2. Go to Playlists, and select the one you want to collaborate on (keep in mind you can only do this for playlists you’ve created)
  3. Tap the Add user button in the header to make the playlist collaborative
  4. Start inviting others to add songs and podcast episodes on social media, messaging apps, or simply by copying and pasting the link

 

Now that your masterpiece is created, try listening together in real time with Spotify’s Group Session beta feature. Now that’s teamwork.

Spotify and Riot Games Team Up for an Official League of Legends Esports Partnership

August 24, 2020

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game League of Legends is the biggest esport in the world. Last year, tournaments were held in over 37 different cities across five continents, with a record-breaking viewership of 21.8 million average minute audience watching the 2019 World Championship Final unfold. But gamers and fans aren’t just playing: they’re also streaming. 

The official League of Legends soundtrack racks up over 4.8 million Spotify listeners per month—a sizable number of both gamers and Spotify users. That’s why Spotify and Riot Games, the video game developer behind League of Legends, are joining forces for a first-of-its-kind multiyear partnership. Spotify is also now the official—and exclusive—audio -streaming partner for League of Legends global events. 

The partnership will also give fans original podcasts, curated playlists, and so much more. Get ready for:

Official League of Legends Esports hub

Music is already important in the League of Legends world, but we’re taking it one step further by creating a hub. Get excited for new and existing music, podcasts, and playlists inspired by the gaming community, including Official League of Legends and Road to Worlds 2020 playlists. Keep an ear out for more coming soon.

Exclusive and original podcasts

Spotify and Riot Games are working to create and launch several new League of Legends podcasts. Untold Stories: Top Moments from Worlds, a 9-episode series leading up to the 10th League of Legends World Championship this fall, will be the first. Listeners will be able to hear about the top players and anthems through game highlights, recorded interviews, game sound effects, and new interviews with key players. Thanks to our extended partnership, we look forward to evolving this podcast over the years to come. 

Elevated music moments

We’re also providing fans with a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Worlds Anthem through the Worlds Anthem Takeover on Spotify. This highly anticipated track is the hero song of the year. It’s released alongside a bespoke music video and is then performed during the Opening Ceremony of the World Championship Finals, setting the tone and celebrating the big event. In previous years, Riot Games has worked with artists including Imagine Dragons, The Glitch Mob, and Against the Current.

“Music and audio are an intrinsic part of our sport and game, so we are thrilled to partner with Spotify to provide our fans with another platform where they can enjoy the ultimate manifestation of League of Legends,” says Naz Aletaha, Head of Global Esports Partnerships, Riot Games. “As a disrupter in their space similar to Riot Games, Spotify allows us to collectively challenge the limits of possibility as we blend sports, technology, entertainment, and music to create iconic experiences and content that inspire generations.”

June Sauvaget, Global Head of Consumer and Product Marketing, says, “Our partnership with Riot Games will create a first-of-its-kind audio universe for the millions of Spotify and League of Legends fans across the globe. As the exclusive—and first ever—global audio service partner for League of Legends, we plan to create a world-class audio-streaming experience for our users, making discovering both music and podcasts easier than ever before.” 

Can’t wait to stream the music from the esport and game? Check out the Official League of Legends Playlist.

Spotify Users Have Spent Over 2.3 Billion Hours Streaming Discover Weekly Playlists Since 2015

July 9, 2020

Discover Weekly, your weekly mixtape of fresh music, is celebrating an anniversary—five years of discovery this July. But the beloved playlist has humble origins, initially starting as an idea at Spotify’s annual Hack Week. Since then, it’s become known as one of our flagship offerings, was parodied on April Fools (2019’s Disco Cover Weekly, anyone?), and has introduced our Spotify users to some of their new favorite artists.


In the five years since its launch, listeners have also streamed endless hours of the Discover Weekly playlist—over 2.3 billion hours between July 2015 and June 25, 2020 For the numerically inclined, that’s more than:

  • 8.4 trillion seconds
  • 140 billion minutes
  • 2.3 billion hours
  • 97.3 million days
  • 13.9 million weeks
  • 266.5 thousand years

For context: That’s longer than human civilization has been around! 

Since the playlist updates every Monday with new music based on your personal listening habits, it leads users to find new artists, tracks, and hits to fall in love with. The Moroccan-Dutch DJ R3HAB is the most “discovered” artist in the most markets—16, to be exact—meaning users across those countries streamed him the most out of any other creator on their Discover Weekly playlist. 

“I love how Spotify allows my music to connect with people across so many cultures,” R3HAB told For the Record. “I’ve always considered myself a world artist and it’s amazing to see my music truly traveling. Spotify has broken down the geographical boundaries of music discovery, allowing people from all over to discover my music as soon as it’s released. Thank you, Discover Weekly.”

Halsey takes the spot for most discovered female artist globally. Notably, she released her first album, Badlands, in 2015—the same year Discover Weekly was created! Now, she’s included on the list of Top Streamed Female Artists on Spotify.

U.S. listeners stream Discover Weekly the most, and have spent a lot of time “discovering” music from RAC and Khalid. In the U.K. listeners have found Detroit-born house producer MK, and German DJ Alle Farben racks up the streams in his home country. And they’re discovering artists across genres too—everything from EDM to grupera (a regional Mexican style), to indietronica and Lithuanian folk.

With so much discovery in such a short span of time, (you know, compared to the entirety of human civilization), we can’t wait to see what the next five years will bring for this star playlist.

How to Use Spotify Connect, Your Ultimate Listening Remote

June 18, 2020

At Spotify, we innovate with a simple strategy: to make your experience as turnkey as possible. Our goal is to reduce the time it takes to navigate to and play your favorite music and podcasts. And we’ve been doing it as early as 2013, when we launched Spotify Connect. With this tool, we’ve been enabling users to stream their favorite music and podcasts across their favorite  devices—both at  home and on the go.

By using Spotify Connect you can enjoy high-quality sound (compared to listening via Bluetooth), make and receive calls without stopping the music, play songs directly to save your phone’s battery, and switch devices without missing a beat.

Over time, since our Ubiquity Strategy is aimed at making your ability to play audio across platforms as seamless and intuitive as possible. Now Spotify Connect is available on over 2000 products across 200 hardware brands, and it’s available for all our users.

It’s easy to set up. Here’s a quick guide to get you started.

To use Spotify Connect, make sure:

  1. All devices are on the same WiFi network
  2. Your Spotify app is up-to-date
  3. All devices’ software is up-to-date
  4. Then, fire up the Spotify app on your phone, laptop, or tablet and play a song.
  5. Tap the song title or tap the speaker icon to see options.
  6. Select the device you want to connect. It could be a Google Home, Samsung Smart TV, Sony PlayStation,Xbox, Sonos One, Amazon Echo, or many more.
  7. Enjoy a great, high-quality listening experience!

Once your device is paired with Spotify Connect, you might never have to exclaim “where’s that remote?” ever again.

How to Stream Spotify From Your Xbox, PlayStation, or Discord

April 16, 2020

In recent weeks, listeners around the world have been changing up the way they stream Spotify. With an increased number of people staying home, there’s been an uptick in playing music from home devices—especially game consoles. 

Setting up Spotify on your console allows you to stream your own music while playing, whether investigating another world, racing cars, or defeating zombies. Kick back with the great soundtracks from other video games or Spotify’s Top Gaming Tracks playlist for a mix of current hip-hop and rap. (Plus, you can stream music from the console anytime, whether you’re deep in the game or doing something else in your home.)

Here’s how to set up Spotify on your console so you can stream your own music while investigating your world—or another.

How to Set Up Spotify on PS3™, PS4™ and Xbox One

The Spotify app is available for PS3, PS4 and Xbox One consoles. Any of these devices allow you to listen to your favorite songs, artists, and playlists while you’re gaming. Or, you can even use the console to stream podcasts or music while you do something else.

The first step is to download the app on your device. Once you’ve done that, you can log into Spotify one of three ways:

  1. Use Spotify Connect to link your Spotify app to your device. (More on that here.)
  2. Enter your Spotify email address and password. (If you usually log in using Facebook, use Spotify Connect instead.)
  3. Select “Log in with PIN.” Then, on your phone or computer, go to www.spotify.com/pair and enter the PIN on your screen. (This option is not available for PS4.)

PRO TIP: If you don’t have a Spotify account already, you’ll be able to create one by selecting “SIGN UP” on the app. Both Spotify Free and Premium users can stream Spotify through their PlayStation console and Xbox One.

BONUS ROUND: PlayStation users can link their accounts to automatically log into Spotify wherever they log into their PlayStation™ Network account. Or you can link your accounts here.

How to Start Playing on PlayStation and Xbox One

Select Xbox and PlayStation games allow you to listen to Spotify while you play. For the best of both worlds, disable the in-game music (if your game allows) while you stream and add your own music. Here’s how to play your selected music or podcasts:

  1. Press and hold the PlayStation or Xbox button on your controller to bring up the menu or guide.
  2. Select “Music” or “Spotify.”
  3. From here, you can skip songs, play, pause, or adjust the volume.

SECOND BONUS ROUND: PlayStation users can also share what they’re listening to while playing with their friends and teammates during select games. Using the controller, press the “Share” button, then select “Share Music” then choose from “Recently Shared,” “Now Playing,” “Recently Played,” or “Recently Saved.”

Now—start jamming to your favorite tunes while defeating your virtual opponents.

Listen With Friends on Discord

You can listen, game, chat, and party all at once with Discord—as well as see and play what your friends are listening to. Plus, Premium users can even listen together with Listen Along. To get started:

  1. On desktop, download the Discord app and open it. 
  2. Click “Connections” in the menu on the left.
  3. Click Spotify.
  4. A web page will open to connect. If you’re not already logged into Spotify on the device, you’re directed to log in or sign up first.
  5. Once you’ve connected Spotify to your Discord account, you can choose to display what you’re listening to in real time on your profile. 

If you’re a Premium user, you’ll be able to listen along with your friends. Simply click someone who’s Listening to Spotify from your list of friends on the right, and select the Listen Along icon, which looks like a person with a play button. If you Listen Along with a friend who has Spotify Free, you’ll hear silence when they hear advertisements. 

PRO TIP: It’s not possible to Listen Along when voice chatting—use text chat instead for the best of both worlds.

Now that you’re all set up, you may be looking for something to stream. No worries, our Gaming Hub has you covered.