Spotify is taking a page out of TikTok’s book with its latest update. The music app is rolling out a new design for its Home section that promises to be “more visual and dynamic.” The vertical video feed in the style of TikTok has already invaded many of the apps we use daily, and now Spotify is joining the fray.
According to the company, these visual streams are “built for deeper discovery and more meaningful connections between artists and fans.” The music, podcast, and audiobook sections will now allow you to “intentionally scroll” through new streams, where Spotify will offer both audio and video clips.
If you find something you want to hear in its entirety, there are options to save, share, preview more songs (playlists or albums), read episode transcripts, and watch video podcasts. These visual streams will also be in the search interface, where you can browse clips arranged by genre.
In addition, Spotify says it will put visual content inside its playlist collections, such as Discover Weekly, Release Radar, New Music Friday, and Rap Caviar. The company sees this as a way to provide previews for songs in these collections. Unlike some of the early tests, Spotify hasn’t added a fourth button to the app’s navigation bar for these streams.
For the Music tab, users in the US and Canada will see the Spotify AI DJ right under the collection of eight personalized quick commands. As you start to scroll, the app will serve up audio and visual snippets of a song. From there, you can preview up to five different songs from an album or playlist, much like you would for Instagram Stories. Spotify will also give you a short context on why you’re seeing these recommendations.
For the Podcasts section, you’ll still see the eight quick commands at the top, while the rest of the stream will preview selected shows for each user. Each recommendation will have an audio sample and a real-time transcript or video clip, if the show was recorded in that format. If you want to continue listening, you’ll have the option to pick up from the previewed part or start from the beginning. Spotify says the audiobook feed will work the same way as podcast previews.
In summary, Spotify’s new update brings more visual content to the app’s Home section, offering users deeper discovery and more meaningful connections with their favorite artists and shows. The addition of AI-powered DJ recommendations and personalized quick commands makes it easier than ever to find new music and podcasts. So, get ready to scroll and explore the world of music and audio in a whole new way on Spotify!
