Spotify Unveils Biggest Redesign Yet, Bringing AI-Driven Features and Visual & Audio Previews

Today, Spotify has rolled out a major redesign for its mobile app, claiming it to be its “biggest evolution yet”.^[0] At its Stream On 2023 event, the music streaming giant outlined the changes, which are aimed at providing listeners a more active role in discovering new audio content and giving creators new ways to share their work.^[1] With the new features, Spotify appears to be taking influence from the likes of TikTok and Netflix.^[2]

Spotify’s new AI-driven DJ spins tracks just for you, and its “Smart Shuffle” feature will replace the Enhance feature and provide personalized recommendations that “perfectly match the vibe of an original user-generated playlist”.^[3] Additionally, the company has added a new feed-style design, which will be evident across the app, in sections like Discovery Weekly, Release Radar, and New Music Friday.^[4] This “more active experience” is meant to help creators “grow, engage, and monetize”.

The redesigned UI of the Spotify app is also introducing visual and audio previews of playlists, albums, podcast episodes, and audiobooks personalized to each user.^[1] This can be tapped on to save and share, or users can delve deeper into them to see more.^[1] There are also new feeds for discovery in the Search section, where users can scroll through clips arranged by genre.^[5]

Spotify has also debuted another new feature called Clips, where artists can add 30-second videos to their profiles. Spotify expressed in a video about the feature that they created Clips to provide artists with a platform that encourages both fandom and sustained success, rather than fleeting pieces of content that just imitate the most recent meme.^[6]

The new UI of Spotify is currently beginning to roll out to Premium and Free users globally across iOS and Android, and users can expect to find it beamed to their device in the coming weeks and months. With the addition of Showcase, Spotify for Artists now offers artists and their teams a robust suite of promotional tools, helping them reach listeners right when they’re deciding what to listen to and target listeners based on their streaming history.^[7]

0. “Spotify just got a major TikTok-style revamp, new Smart Shuffle feature” Android Central, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/spotify-new-home-feed-previews

1. “Spotify brings Tik-Tok style layout to home screen” BusinessLine, 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/spotify-brings-tik-tok-style-layout-to-home-screen/article66598365.ece

2. “Spotify Launches ‘Entirely New' Home Feed That's Very TikTok” Gizmodo, 8 Mar. 2023, https://gizmodo.com/spotify-tiktok-music-streaming-music-videos-podcast-1850204640

3. “Spotify unveils revamped UI for its app: Check new features, details” The Mobile Indian, 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.themobileindian.com/news/spotify-unveils-revamped-ui-for-its-app-check-new-features-details

4. “Spotify gets first major redesign in 10 years with TikTok-like scroll” Digital Trends, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/spotify-gets-first-major-redesign-in-10-years/

5. “Spotify debuts its TikTok-style music discovery feed” Engadget, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.engadget.com/spotify-debuts-its-tiktok-style-music-discovery-feed-183359654.html

6. “Spotify App Updates Revealed at 2023 Stream On Event: Highlights” Billboard, 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.billboard.com/pro/spotify-app-updates-revealed-2023-stream-on-event-highlights

7. “Three Campaign Tools From Spotify for Artists To Build Your Fan Base” For the Record, 8 Mar. 2023, https://newsroom.spotify.com/2023-03-08/campaign-tools-spotify-for-artists-build-fanbase/