Significant Improvements to Spotify’s Discover Weekly Playlist
Spotify’s algorithm for Discover Weekly has undergone subtle yet significant changes, enabling users to customize their musical journey based on genre preferences.
Premium subscribers now have the ability to fine-tune their personalized playlists by specifying preferred genres. This update allows users to select up to five genres, resulting in a weekly playlist featuring up to 30 new songs.
Many rely on algorithms to uncover new music; it’s a far more efficient method than individual research, especially given the vast number of artists available today. Spotify’s Discover Weekly has introduced me to numerous songs and artists I wouldn’t have otherwise encountered.
Interestingly, Discover Weekly had seen minimal major updates since its launch a decade ago. While a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach might seem reasonable, the lack of updates for such a popular service was unexpected. Given the growing popularity of competing services like Apple Music and YouTube Music, Spotify’s decision to enhance its flagship features is understandable.
The enhancement allows users to align the algorithm with their specific genre preferences. For instance, if one’s listening history primarily consists of pop music, the algorithm will primarily suggest similar artists. This update allows users to inform the algorithm of evolving preferences.
Spotify
This update makes it easier to shift the focus of your weekly playlist. By inputting a desired genre, recommendations will become more aligned. If you have the latest Spotify update installed, and a Premium subscription, you can test this functionality.
The option to select up to five genres generates a weekly playlist comprising 30 songs. The sheer volume of undiscovered music makes this a welcome feature. The playlist is automatically generated each Monday.
Algorithms are crucial in numerous applications, from music streaming services like Spotify to video platforms such as YouTube. Effective algorithms are essential for guiding user experiences. If this new feature helps users discover even one new artist within a targeted genre, it represents a substantial improvement.
Spotify reports that over 56 million new artists are discovered weekly through Discover Weekly, demonstrating the algorithm’s effectiveness. Although this enhancement is currently limited to Spotify Premium subscribers, Spotify plans to extend it to a wider audience eventually, though no specific timeline has been provided.
