Spotify Newsletter #288
Your Weekly Dose of Spotify News
★ SPOTlight
⭐️ Spotify brings AI-powered Prompted Playlists to the U.S. and Canada
Prompted Playlists builds on an earlier AI playlist product, launched in 2024, which allowed for simpler prompts like “get focused at work with instrumental electronica,” or “get pumped up with fun, upbeat, and positive songs.”
⭐️ From Long Shot to Industry Standard: How Spotify Saw the Future of Podcasting Early
Looking back at the early days of podcasting, what stands out most is not a single product launch or headline moment, but the choice to lead with conviction over convention. When we first leaned into podcasts, they weren’t yet a central pillar of culture or the media industry. There was extraordinary creativity, but very little infrastructure, and betting on the medium felt like a long shot to many. To us, it felt less like a bet and more like listening closely to what was already happening.
⭐️ Watch Ed Sheeran’s Dublin Concert in a New Billions Club Live Film on Spotify
The film captures Ed’s full performance, where top fans gathered for an unforgettable show. In addition to the concert itself, viewers will get a look at behind-the-scenes moments from the night.
⭐️ Record labels, Spotify sue pirate group Anna’s Archive over scraping and ‘brazen theft’ of millions of tracks
Pirate group accused of ‘brazen theft of millions of files containing nearly all of the world’s commercial sound recordings.’
⭐️ Move Over Audible—Spotify Developing ‘Page Match’ Feature for Audiobook Listeners Who Like to Read Along
The feature appears to be a tool that will allow a user to seamlessly jump between a physical book and its audio version on Spotify. This feature is great for readers who like to read traditionally in bed, but may engage with audiobooks while exercising, cleaning, or driving.
🗣 Podcasts
▶️ Playlists
Spotify's Prompted Playlist lets you describe exactly what you want to hear
You can use ChatGPT to build a personalized Spotify playlist now
🎧 Streams
🖌 Design
🤖 AI
💻 Tech
📢 Marketing
🎵 New Adventures
Question? Advertising info? Please email Jeff. Have a great day!
Great roundup of Spotify developments this week. The AI prompted playlists feature is a real game-changer for music discovery - being able to describe exactly what vibe you need is way better than scrolling through generic categories. I tried it yesterday to find 'upbeat folk music for cooking breakfast' and it nailed the mood perfectly. Really intresting how AI is making these platforms more intuative.