Spotify’s new playlist feature gives users more control over their recommendation algorithm
Spotify is trying to give users more control over the music the streaming service recommends with a new playlist feature called “Guest Playlist.” The beta feature is rolling out in New Zealand from December 11 and will allow users to write a personalized prompt that Spotify can use, alongside their listening history, to create a playlist of new music.
By tapping Prompted Playlist, Spotify subscribers participating in the beta will be presented with a prompt field where they can enter exactly what they want to hear and how they want Spotify’s algorithm to respond. And while older AI features took into account users’ individual tastes, Spotify says Prompted Playlist “leverages your entire Spotify listening history, from day one.”
The Guest Playlist will exist alongside Spotify’s other playlist features. (Spotify)
Prompts can be as broad or specific as users want, and Spotify says playlists can also be set to automatically update with new songs at a specific cadence. An “Ideas” tab in the guest playlist setup screen can provide suggestions for users who need inspiration for their prompt. And interestingly, Spotify says each song in the playlist will be presented with a brief description explaining why the algorithm chose it, which could help guide future tweaks.
If this all sounds familiar, that’s because Spotify has tried AI-generated playlists in the past. The difference here, besides Spotify touting the new feature as giving users more “control,” is the detail of the prompts, the depth of user data Spotify applies, and the options users will have to keep playlists up to date. The guest playlist is only available in English at the moment, but Spotify says the feature will evolve as it adds more users.
Spotify isn’t the first company to give users more direct control over how content is recommended to them. Meta recently began experimenting with algorithm tuning options in Threads and Instagram, and TikTok allows users to completely reset their For You page to start from scratch. The irony of all these features is that algorithm-driven feeds were supposed to be able to recommend great music, posts, and videos without additional prompts. Now this incentive is presented as a feature rather than extra work.
