Few players in the music game perform at Spotify’s level. At a media masterclass event last week, the music platform broke down all the ways it is changing the game, from curated listening experiences to unprecedented opportunities for artists to connect with fans.
Spotify is constantly evolving, finding new ways to support artists and listeners. Part of that is its Spotify For Artists and Music Discover programs. These programs not only revolutionise the artist’s journey but also deliver a “masterclass” on how platforms like Spotify can further enhance the user/brand experience.
Spotify For Artists
Spotify For Artists gives all artists using the platform the unique opportunity to manage their profile, access creative and audience development tools, music and audience stats and advice on the best practices to help artists promote music.
In addition, Spotify has created a space for fans to interact with artists on a new level, creating an integrated experience that replicates the feel of a live event. “When you’re at a gig, there’s a whole merch table, and you’re enticed to buy. So we’ve taken the same philosophy here. We have audiences in their listening moment, and we want to entice them to buy merch and create that revenue stream for artists,” said Alicia Sbrugnera, head of music at Spotify.
The Canvas functionality allows audiences to engage in a new way, with short looping visuals added over the top of tracks. According to Sbrugnera and Spotify artist and label partnership lead Leah Harris, listeners who see a canvas have been found to be 145 per cent more likely to share a track.
Short, under-30-second video clips also enable artists to express their artistry while inviting fans into the creative process. Clips appear on artist profiles, release pages, Countdown Pages, the main screen of streaming, and the “Music” feed on Home. They are recommended to listeners based on their personal listening history.
Countdown Pages will let fans pre-save upcoming releases, preview track lists, pre-order new merch, watch Video Clips, and watch the timer count down to the release moment—all in one place. In early tests, on average, more than 80 per cent of pre-savers streamed the new release within the first week.
“Our research shows that the new release phase is becoming more and more important for the success of an album, and that week one streaming success is down to that pre-release campaign. So, the countdown page is a perfect place to have that engagement within the app and create that real hype,” said Harris.
Playlists and music discovery
Editorial Playlists
These playlists are curated by Spotify editors and consist of beloved global and regional playlists. There are thousands of playlists, but they are all guided by the same principle: every song, every playlist concept, and every programming decision is made for listeners.
“Editorial playlists play a critical role in the Spotify experience. They always have been, and they always will. Our editorial playlists over-index in music discovery. And it’s really a big part of the team’s job: going in, listening to tonnes of music, and then monitoring and finessing these playlists. So it’s the playlist and the entire ecosystem, with the benefit of tracking success for artists and audiences alike,” said Sbrugnera.
Playlist Pyramid
The playlist pyramid is a connected ecosystem of playlists across many genres and regions that help spotlight music from regional and local scenes. Together, these form the Playlist Pyramid, which starts with more local and niche playlists and filters up to our global playlists. Sitting at the top is Today’s Top Hits.
Global Curation Groups
Spotify’s editors make up Global Curation Groups or GCGs. They’re genre experts based all around the world, and they’re in the know about the music that listeners are streaming the most, the new tracks that are about to break, and the trends that result from these listening habits.
Personalised Playlists
These playlists are personalised to each Spotify listener based on their taste profile and on a range of different signals.
DJ
DJ is a personalised, AI-guided listening experience that delivers a curated music lineup alongside commentary in a stunningly realistic voice. Spotify’s editorial team helps arm the AI DJ with knowledge and expertise, with the DJ serving up insightful facts and info on the artist, track, or genre being recommended.
