Spotify Adds a Spanish-speaking AI DJ; How Does Spotify's Algorithm Analyze Your Listening Habits?
#220 | Your Weekly Dose of Spotify News
Hello and happy Friday! Thanks for reading the latest issue of the Spotify Newsletter.
Spotify announced the new Spanish speaking feature for its DJ mode also known as Xavier or “X” this week.
I have dabbled with the AI feature, but it hasn’t exactly changed my user habits when I’m on the platform. But I can definitely see why Spotify continues to make a big push in the wild and crazy world of AI.
The new DJ is named Livi and Spotify has even given its new DJ a backstory describing her as a “Senior Music Editor at Spotify based out of Mexico City” and “a music expert who has spent her entire career in the music industry.
DJ is an AI generated list of curated songs based on a Spotify user’s listening history. The DJ feature also includes an AI voice introducing and commenting on some of the songs it picks just like a radio DJ would except this DJ plays songs you actually want to hear.
This is all created through the powerful combination of Spotify’s personalization technology, generative AI in the hands of our expert music editors, and a real and relatable AI voice.
★ SPOTlight
⭐️ Spotify adds a Spanish-speaking AI DJ, 'Livi'
Spotify’s AI DJ feature, an AI guide that introduces personalized song selections, is now available in its first language outside of English.
On Tuesday, Spotify announced the launch of an AI DJ that speaks Spanish, confirming TechCrunch’s earlier reports of the feature under development. Like the original AI DJ “X,” whose voice was based on an existing Spotify employee (Xavier “X” Jernigan), the Spanish-language voice is also based on a real person — in this case, Olivia “Livi” Quiroz Roa, a senior music editor at Spotify who resides in Mexico City.
⭐️ Spotify campaign declares ‘music is the best disease’
Infectious dances are revealed in this spot by Dentsu Creative Italy for Spotify Italy as uninhibited listeners react to music despite the judgey gaze of onlookers.
⭐️ Spotify Fans First: Connecting with Superfans for Exclusive Offers
Spotify’s Fans First program is a way for artists to connect with superfans – or at least, super-listeners – and is designed to point these fans towards special offers, like advance access to tickets, exclusive merchandise, or invite-only events.
The platform has now announced a partnership with Sabrina Carpenter ahead of her upcoming North American tour, and will launch two presale offers that give top listeners exclusive access to specific seating at each show.
⭐️ Sprite leans into AI remixes for music platform’s return
For Sprite Limelight’s return, music fans can create tracks using a common hook via the Soundlabs remix tool available in Coca-Cola’s app.
The initiative, which also includes a Spotify tie-in, is part of Sprite’s global marketing platform, “Heat Happens.” It will be promoted through paid and earned media; influencer partnerships; limited-edition, scannable packaging, out-of-home placements and festival and local market event activations.
🗣 Podcasts
▶️ Playlists
My Spotify Daylist and Blend mixes are way better since I started using this little-known feature
Perhaps my two outright favorite features are Daylist and Blend playlist features. Not only are they a helpful way of discovering new music to listen to, but Blends give you an insight to who your friends are listening to, and my Daylist helps me track what genres and moods I listen to at different times of the day.
🎧 Streams
Bob Marley’s Highest-Charting US Single Hits 100 Million Milestone On Spotify
Kendrick Lamar Passes Drake’s Spotify Monthly Listeners Amid “Not Like Us” Surge
🖌 Design
How Does Spotify's Algorithm Analyze your Listening Habits?
Spotify analyzes your data so that you can be provided with songs that match your musical preferences. There are many ways that the algorithm does this and when you break everything down you’ll soon find that it’s a very interesting system.
🧐 Research
Technical Decision-Making in a Fragmented Space: Spotify In-Car Case Study
Car rides have become connected and interactive these days with drivers jamming to music or catching up on podcasts or audiobooks while they’re on the road. A big portion of Spotify listening happens in the car — a key reason why it’s important for Spotify to ensure users have a smooth experience in the car, striking the perfect balance between safety, simplicity, and control.
Achieving such balance is not easy due to various challenges: to maintain interoperability among different Spotify experiences, provide seamless usage on all kinds of screens, and manage drivers’ limited focus.
🎼 Spotify 4 Artists
Countdown Pages rollout on Spotify for Artists next week - Are you eligible?
Maximizing Impact of Artists Collaborations on Spotify Recommender Algorithms
💡 Tips & Tricks
🔥 News
Jim Lucchese, Formerly with Spotify, Named Berklee’s Fifth President
Spotify passes UMG as the world's most valuable music company
Spotify is no longer just a streaming app, it's a social network
Spotify getting into social network game with podcast comments
🎵 New Adventures
📧 Get in touch
If you have a question, idea, request for sponsorship info, or simply a desire to chat about Spotify, please email me at jeff.spotifynewsletter@gmail.com.
