Spotify's AI Prompted Playlists: Personalized Music is Here

Spotify Introduces Enhanced Algorithm Control with “Prompted Playlists”

Spotify announced on Wednesday a significant update, granting users increased influence over the platform’s streaming algorithm. This development is being presented as the launch of “Promoted Playlists,” a new functionality initially available to Premium subscribers in New Zealand.

Initial Availability and Future Expansion

Currently, this feature is accessible solely in English and remains in a beta phase. Spotify indicates that it will undergo further refinement before being extended to additional markets.

Personalized Playlist Creation

The new tool empowers users to articulate their desired listening experience through detailed descriptions. These descriptions generate personalized playlists that reflect the entirety of their musical preferences.

Unlike other playlist options, this feature considers not just current listening habits, but the user’s complete Spotify history from the very beginning.

Evolution of AI Playlists

This functionality builds upon Spotify’s existing AI playlist capabilities, which were introduced last year. Like its predecessors, “Prompted Playlists” utilizes written prompts to understand user requests.

However, a key distinction lies in the ability to create significantly longer and more detailed prompts. This is enabled by the new AI’s capacity to incorporate broader world knowledge, as explained by a Spotify representative to TechCrunch.

Key Differentiators

The ability to draw upon a more extensive listening history and customize playlist refresh schedules further sets this feature apart from other Spotify AI playlist offerings.

Example Prompt Applications

Spotify suggests users could request “music from my top artists from the last five years,” and then refine this prompt to include “deep cuts I haven’t heard yet.”

Another example provided is a request for “high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that maintains a consistent tempo before transitioning to calming songs for a cool-down.”

Further Customization and Control

Users can continually refine their prompts for increased specificity and determine the frequency of playlist updates, such as daily or weekly.

The intention is to allow users to create customized playlists akin to Spotify’s popular “Discover Weekly,” but focused on specific musical styles, genres, or time periods.

Transparency and User Guidance

Each playlist will include explanations detailing the rationale behind the recommendations. Spotify will also provide a selection of starter prompts to assist users.

Broader Trend of Algorithmic Control

Spotify is not alone in offering users greater control over algorithmic curation. Instagram recently launched a feature allowing users to influence the types of reels they see.

Similarly, Bluesky, a decentralized alternative to X, enables users to substitute its default algorithm with one of their choosing.