At the recent Stream On event, the streaming company announced a series of new Spotify features to support artists on their platform in building an audience and growing their careers. These tools aim to help artists connect with the listeners who would most enjoy their music and create excitement around their content, merchandise, and live events.
Like many technology companies, Spotify has recently accelerated its investments. Attracting attention with the Spotify AI DJ feature they recently announced, the company shows it does not want to be an app that only works in the background, and its new TikTok-like design is proof of that.
New Spotify features and design changes
These are the new Spotify features and design changes that were revealed Stream On event:
Marquee: A new release style
One of the standout features Spotify revealed is the “Marquee,” a full-screen, sponsored recommendation of an artist’s new release.
This feature is designed to reach listeners who have shown interest in an artist’s music and is ten times more cost-effective on average than ads on popular social media platforms. Using Marquee, artists can attract more streams and increase their fan base.
Discovery Mode: Prioritizing songs on the streaming service
Spotify also introduced a new tool called “Discovery Mode,” which allows artists and their teams to identify the songs they want to prioritize on the platform. Once identified, Spotify will use this information to shape personalized listening sessions by adding the signal to the algorithms. If an artist’s song resonates with listeners, Discovery Mode increases the likelihood that it will be recommended in both radio and autoplay. Artists can review reporting every month to track how many new listeners they reach and adjust their strategy accordingly.
Overall, these new features empower artists to take control of their growth and reach new listeners on Spotify. With the ability to target interested audiences and prioritize songs, artists can focus on creating and sharing the music they love with the world.
Algorithmic recommendations and artist introductions with the showcase
Spotify recognizes the importance of algorithmic recommendations for artists and their success on the platform. In fact, one-third of all new artist discoveries on Spotify are made through these recommendations. As part of its new suite of tools, the company is introducing “Discovery Mode” to help artists shape these recommendations. Available directly within Spotify for Artists, this feature allows artists to prioritize songs for algorithmic recommendations, increasing the likelihood that they will be recommended in radio and autoplay.
Another tool that Spotify is introducing to help artists gain exposure: is “Showcase.” This mobile card will be featured on the streaming service’s home feed and will introduce an artist’s music, whether a new release or catalog, to users likely to listen to their music. The Showcase is being tested with select artists and labels and will be more widely available in the future. Artists can target listeners based on their streaming history and reach new fans when they decide what to listen to.
Helping artists grow revenue through merchandise and live events
In addition to its new tools for growth and discovery, Spotify is also supporting artists in generating revenue through merchandise and live events. The company is adding new concert and merch discovery tools that will enable users to see offers and listings in more places across the app.
For live events, users can tap on a new “interested” button to save the event to their own calendar in the Live Events Feed. Users can browse concerts worldwide and adjust their location for personalized recommendations. Spotify notes that the events users see are tailored to their preferences, ensuring that they see concerts and events that match their tastes.
By providing artists with these new tools and features, Spotify is empowering them to connect with their audiences and grow their careers on the platform. These initiatives are a testament to the company’s commitment to supporting the music industry and fostering a thriving community of artists and fans.
Spotify’s Fans First program and Buzz Creation tools for artists
Spotify’s Stream On event unveiled new growth and discovery tools for artists, which include the expansion of its ‘Fans First’ program, a new Spotify features called ‘Marquee,’ and ‘Discovery Mode.’ The streaming service also added new tools to help artists create a buzz amongst fans, such as a mobile card called.
The ‘Fans First’ program is a Spotify email marketing program that enables artists to sell unique or exclusive offers to their top listeners. The program will now include more artists, ensuring their fans receive emails and notifications that give them access to concert pre-sales and merch exclusives.
‘Marquee’ is a full-screen, sponsored recommendation of a new release designed to reach listeners who have shown an interest in an artist’s music. According to Spotify, Marquee is ten times more cost-effective on average at getting listeners to stream music on Spotify than ads on the most popular social media platforms.
‘Discovery Mode’ is a tool that allows artists and their teams to identify songs they want to prioritize on the streaming service. Spotify will then add that signal to the algorithms that shape personalized listening sessions, increasing the likelihood of the artist’s song being recommended in both radio and autoplay. Every month, artists will be able to see reporting to understand how many new listeners were reached.
Spotify also introduced a new mobile card called ‘Showcase’ that will introduce an artist’s music, whether a new release or catalog, to users likely to listen to their music. The company is testing Showcase with select artists and labels and will make it more widely available in the future. Additionally, Spotify unveiled a new Story-like feature called ‘Spotify Clips,’ which lets artists add 30-second videos to their artist profiles and album pages to create a buzz amongst fans.
Spotify’s new tools for artists come alongside the company’s announcement that its payouts to the music industry are nearing $40 billion, with a significant increase in the number of artists generating over $1 million and $10,000 over the past five years. The new tools and updates to the platform aim to build on this growth, help artists connect with fans, and increase revenue streams.
One of the significant updates to the app is the redesigned interface, which features personalized discovery feeds and a TikTok-like video feed. Users can also access a new “Smart Shuffle” mode for playlist recommendations, a podcast autoplay feature, and other new features.
Other new tools for artists include the “Countdown Pages,” which offer fans exclusive content and merchandise preorders, and “Spotify Clips,” which allow artists to add 30-second videos to their artist profiles and album pages to create more buzz amongst fans.
Spotify is also expanding its “Fans First” program, which enables artists to sell exclusive offers and merchandise to their top listeners. It is also launching new concert and merch discovery tools that will appear in more places across the app.
How to update Spotify on PC or Mac?
If you’re a Spotify user on a Mac or PC, you won’t need to go through an external app store to update the application. Instead, you can update Spotify directly through the app itself. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Check for updates: Look for a blue dot in the window’s top-right corner next to your username. This dot indicates that an update is available.
- Click your username: To access the update option, click on your username. This will open a drop-down menu.
- Choose “Update Available. Restart Now“: In the drop-down menu, you’ll see the option “Update Available. Restart Now.” Click on this option to begin the update process.
- Restart Spotify: Once you’ve selected “Update Available. Restart Now,” Spotify will update and then restart itself. After the restart, you’ll be running the latest version of Spotify on your device.
Overall, updating Spotify on Mac and PC is a straightforward process you can complete within the app.
How to update Spotify on an iPhone or iPad?
You can also manually search for Spotify in the App Store and check if an update is available. Here’s how:
- Open the App Store and tap the Search icon at the bottom.
- Type “Spotify” in the search bar and tap Search.
- You’ll see an “Update” button next to the Spotify app if an update is available. Tap it to start the update.
- If there’s no update available, you’ll see an “Open” button instead.
How to update Spotify on Android?
Android devices typically update apps automatically in the background, so you usually don’t have to update apps manually. However, if you want to check for updates manually, you can follow the steps you mentioned to see if there are any updates available for Spotify or other apps.
You can also find out the most recent guide about Spotify Audiobooks.
