Spotify Announces Major Update Focused on Entertainment and Curated Content

[MacRumors]

Three weeks ahead of the rumored debut of Apple's new streaming music service, Spotify has announced some feature additions to its own streaming service, with a major focus on curated content and original tracks, plus an expansion into entertainment with video and news clips.

Spotify is introducing a new "Now" start page that offers mood-based music playlists to users, much like Beats Music's "The Sentence," which provides users with curated music options to fit different moods and scenarios. Spotify's "Now" music feature will include curated song selections and its recommendations adapt over time to fit an individual user's tastes.

Another new feature, Spotify Running, focuses on original music. It combines "running compositions written by the world's foremost DJs and composers" with song recommendations based on user listening history and multiple-genre playlists. It matches tempo when running and will be integrated into the Nike+ and Runkeeper apps.

Other original (and exclusive) content will include radio shows presented by various artists like Icona Pop and Jungle, and "Dance Move of the Day" from Amy Poehler's Smart Girls brand.

The biggest addition to Spotify comes in the form of video and news clips, letting users watch videos, listen to podcasts, and get news updates. This entertainment content will come from ABC, BBC, Comedy Central, Condé Nast, ESPN, Fusion, Maker Studios, NBC, TED, and Vice Media.

Spotify's push for more original content and its renewed focus on curated content mirrors some of what Apple is rumored to be doing with its upcoming Beats Music revamp. Beats Music is well-known for its human-curated content, which Apple will keep in the new service, and Apple may be introducing its own radio shows as well, possibly in a simultaneous iTunes Radio revamp.

Apple is also rumored to be pushing for exclusive content from artists for its new music service, to set it apart from competing services. Some of this may come in the form of artist social networking pages built into the new music service, which will allow artists to share clips, videos, concert updates, and more.

Spotify's new "Now" experience will begin rolling out to iPhone users today in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Sweden. Spotify Running is also rolling out to iPhone users globally as of today.

Article Link: Spotify Announces Major Update Focused on Entertainment and Curated Content

 

[TwoBytes]

Saw this posted on 9to5mac earlier...

Unless it's cheaper or offers more, Apple will have a hard time to sell their streaming version.

 

[LillieDesigns]

[insert michael jackson popcorn gif here]

 

[sampaul]

To be honest, the new features aren't that big of a deal, but I am still sticking with you, Spotify!

 

[Luap]

And I expect they still don't provide a better deal for the artists. So it's still a ripoff as far as they are concerned..

 

[dpace32]

I just want Apple Watch support I wish we could sync playlists for offline use on the Watch.

 

[AppleGuesser]

I love to run using RunKeeper. I also run using Spotify. I have yet to mix the to together, rather they are used simultaneously, yet exclusively. Not sure these features will change my run or how I use RunKeeper/Spotify.

 

[James Manesh]

It was their last push to woo customers before Apple takes the stage to announce 'Apple Music' and it turned out to be pretty mediocre.

Videos and podcasting? We already have YouTube and iTunes for that. They needed to focus more on the music side of things. What they are doing with exercise seems pretty interesting though. I can see Apple implementing something similar that would take advantage of the Watch.

 

[friedmud]

Decent advertising. The Running video is fairly compelling... made me want to strap on my shoes and head out to try it!

I'll use some of the other stuff:

- ESPN Podcasts will be nice to have in Spotify.
- Currated music lists
- Smarter start page

I really don't care much for video though. Streaming barely works on my urban jungle commute anyway... most things I listen to on Spotify I have stored locally on my phone for just that reason. No way streaming video is going to work on the crowded subways in the morning... and I can't see firing up Spotify at home instead of Netflix or Amazon Prime... or a "channel" on AppleTV.

I'm glad they're trying though. I personally think they have a great service... and as long as they stay ahead of Apple they will have customers...

 

[TMRJIJ]

[insert michael jackson popcorn gif here]

 

[friedmud]

I just want Apple Watch support I wish we could sync playlists for offline use on the Watch.

Won't happen until later this year when the "real" Watch API is released.

I don't think Spotify would put out a Watch Extension... it would be confusing. It would ONLY work when you have your phone with you (that's the only way 3rd party apps work now). They don't want customers having a bad experience because they left their phone behind on a run and now can't listen to music.

Better to just stay on the sidelines until you can get a real app with off-line syncing this fall.

That said: I'm waiting for this as well! It is nice that in the interim we can at least skip forward and backward on the Watch while Spotify is playing...

 

[AppleGuesser]

It was their last push to woo customers before Apple takes the stage to announce 'Apple Music' and it turned out to be pretty mediocre.

Videos and podcasting? We already have YouTube and iTunes for that. They needed to focus more on the music side of things. What they are doing with exercise seems pretty interesting though. I can see Apple implementing something similar that would take advantage of the Watch.

I don't know, I love podcasts on my runs and while you are correct that there are other options. Having an app that can handle several services is very convenient for me and would win me over. I like one app versus 3, 4, 5, etc

But I think you are on to something with Apple implementing something similar in terms of their exercise matching. Seems like a natural fit with the Apple watch and the heartbeat monitoring function.

 

[Dekema2]

Now I can REALLY put my $4.99 student subscription to work!

 

[Imory]

And I expect they still don't provide a better deal for the artists. So it's still a ripoff as far as they are concerned..

Most of the blame should really be places on the labels. The Verge had a pretty interesting breakdown of the deal between Spotify and Sony Music, which made it pretty evident that the labels are the ones taking a significant cut with no real obligation to pay the artists they represent.

 

[AppleGuesser]

Saw this posted on 9to5mac earlier...

Unless it's cheaper or offers more, Apple will have a hard time to sell their streaming version.

I disagree. I miss having a singular place for music, podcasts, videos, etc. I am fully in Spotify, and I love curating playlists for specific events, but I want what I do with spotify in iTunes. I want that ability to hit save and have it in my iTunes library along side my purchased and ripped music like I have with Spotify. I hate managing two libraries to condense into one personally. So i want Spotify, but just in iTunes.

It could be because I am nostalgic to the earlier days and I am an Apple Fanboy

 

[friedmud]

BTW: Can anyone see the new features? I really would try out the "Running" capability later today if it's available.

I don't see an App update for Spotify on my phone...

 

[gotluck]

And I expect they still don't provide a better deal for the artists. So it's still a ripoff as far as they are concerned..

Did you see spotify and Sony Music's contract posted on the verge? It looks like it is really the labels ripping the artists off with respect to streaming, not spotify. I doubt Sony is passing off the large upfront payments from spotify to their artists.

 

[James Manesh]

I disagree. I miss having a singular place for music, podcasts, videos, etc. I am fully in Spotify, and I love curating playlists for specific events, but I want what I do with spotify in iTunes. I want that ability to hit save and have it in my iTunes library along side my purchased and ripped music like I have with Spotify. I hate managing two libraries to condense into one personally. So i want Spotify, but just in iTunes.

It could be because I am nostalgic to the earlier days and I am an Apple Fanboy

Agreed.

With 'Apple Music', all they need to do is match Spotify's price and content (easy), and differentiate themselves with superior UX and exclusive content (that's in iTunes ballpark) while providing a seamless experience in their Apple ecosystem (what they are all about).

 

[freediverx]

Saw this posted on 9to5mac earlier...

Unless it's cheaper or offers more, Apple will have a hard time to sell their streaming version.

On the contrary, unless Apple's revamped music service is total crap, they will have home field advantage as many users will default to what comes with their device.

 

[Mackinjosh]

And I expect they still don't provide a better deal for the artists. So it's still a ripoff as far as they are concerned..

What a dumb complaint. The people screwing over the artists don't work for Spotify. They work for the record labels. Spotify is turning over 80 percent to the labels, who then go on to screw over their OWN artists.

----------

It was their last push to woo customers before Apple takes the stage to announce 'Apple Music' and it turned out to be pretty mediocre.

Videos and podcasting? We already have YouTube and iTunes for that. They needed to focus more on the music side of things. What they are doing with exercise seems pretty interesting though. I can see Apple implementing something similar that would take advantage of the Watch.

They're not scared of Apple. No one should be. Apple has become atrocious at services.

----------

Agreed.

With 'Apple Music', all they need to do is match Spotify's price and content (easy), and differentiate themselves with superior UX and exclusive content (that's in iTunes ballpark) while providing a seamless experience in their Apple ecosystem (what they are all about).

Doing that won't beat Spotify. It'll make them another wannabe. Spotify's partnership with Sony on the PS4 alone will make it hard for Apple. It also helps that Spotify is available on pretty much everything whereas Apple is stupidly tying their service to iTunes/iOS

 

[bushido]

And I expect they still don't provide a better deal for the artists. So it's still a ripoff as far as they are concerned..

are u working for Tidal?

 

[mms13]

That's a lot of new features for a software company that doesn't have a Command+F feature to search playlists in their application...

That's a lot of new features for a software company who has developed an iOS SDK that has been in beta for 14 months and still does not have the ability to query a list of a user's "My Music" Artists and Albums...

 

[McCool71]

Great move

This is a great move from Spotify.

I already listen to podcasts on a daily basis, would love to have it in the same app as my music. And if I could mix songs and podcasts in the same playlist that would be excellent.

Video is welcome, and I think it is wise to feature content from selected partners rather than going 'full YouTube'. A lot of the partners listed has content I already view more or less on a daily basis either on TV, streaming or or YouTube, so I feel the selection here is good as a start.

What really excites me (being way above average interested in music and music history) though are exclusive content like this (from Spotifys own page):

A Full English (video): A conversation between artists and personalities, widely separated by experience, who try to find common ground over a meal – a proper breakfast in this case.

Presenting (audio): Artist-presented radio shows from the likes of Icona Pop, Tyler the Creator and the Odd Future crew, Jungle, Mike Skinner and Murkage present Tonga, Popjustice, Big Narstie and Rixton, with more big names to follow.

Landmark (audio and video): An aural history of some of the greatest records ever released, told by the legends who helped create them.

 

[gotluck]

Doing that won't beat Spotify. It'll make them another wannabe. Spotify's partnership with Sony on the PS4 alone will make it hard for Apple. It also helps that Spotify is available on pretty much everything whereas Apple is stupidly tying their service to iTunes/iOS

Spotify's integration with other OS / and things like the PS4 will keep me away from apples offering unless Apple starts to become really gung ho about cross platform, but I'm not holding my breath. Spotify on the PS4 really is great.

Among all-apple users, sure I can see Apple music making strides.

 

[AppleGuesser]

Doing that won't beat Spotify. It'll make them another wannabe. Spotify's partnership with Sony on the PS4 alone will make it hard for Apple. It also helps that Spotify is available on pretty much everything whereas Apple is stupidly tying their service to iTunes/iOS

Partnership with Sony/PS4? Thats what will make it hard? I will give you one tip of my hat to the current state of iTunes being tied to Macs, iPhones, etc. But they could do a web app, much like iWork which would be similar to Spotify.

People said the same thing about iTunes when it was Mac exclusive with the iPod. They said it was another wannabe, can't make it, won't make it. If apple designs an Android app and a solid web app with a decent UI across the board, then apple will hit a renaissance with iTunes. But that is a HUGE and BIG if for sure