Spotify announced Wednesday that, for the first time, it’s giving users more control over the streaming service’s algorithm. At least that’s how the company is framing the launch of its new “Promoted Playlists,” a feature that will initially be available to Premium subscribers in New Zealand.
The feature, which is currently only available in English, is still in beta and will evolve before rolling out to other markets, according to Spotify.
The new tool allows users to describe what they want to hear in a personalized playlist that reflects the “fullness” of their preferences, according to the company. That means the playlist doesn’t just focus on the songs you like now, but your entire Spotify listening history from day one — which differentiates the feature from other playlists, the company says.
The feature is an evolution from Spotify’s existing AI playlist option, which debuted last year and also works through text prompts. As with AI playlists, the new on-demand playlists allow users to request what they want to hear with written instructions. However, they can now write much longer prompts with more specific instructions. That’s because the new artificial intelligence is characterized by global knowledge factors, a Spotify spokesperson explained to TechCrunch.
Additionally, the ability to go further back in your listening history and schedule how often the playlist refreshes sets it apart from Spotify’s other AI playlist offerings.
For example, Spotify suggests subscribers use the new feature to request something like, “music from my top artists of the last five years,” and then modify the prompt to include a request for “deep cuts I haven’t heard yet.”
In another example of greater prompting, Spotify said you could request “high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that holds a steady pace before relaxing to some laid-back songs for relaxation” or “music from this year’s biggest movies and most talked-about TV shows that match my taste.”
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Additionally, you can continue to fine-tune the message to make it even more specific, and you can set how often you want it to refresh, such as daily or weekly. The idea is that users can essentially create their own version of something like Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist, but one focused on a type of music, genre or time period they’d like to watch, or their own version of something like Spotify’s genre-focused daily mixes.
The company says the playlist will include descriptions and content so you know why you’re getting the suggestion. Additionally, it will offer a set of prompts to help users get started.
Spotify isn’t the only social media app to showcase how it lets users control its algorithm. Instagram also rolled out a new feature today that lets users control the type of wheels they see. Bluesky, a decentralized X competitor, also allows users to trade its algorithm for one of their own.
