As Pandora continues to catch up to Spotify in terms of the features it offers, Spotify is returning the favor, adding Endless Artist Radio for Premium subscribers as well as other features including newly streamlined navigation and a redesigned, easier-to-use search page.
Spotify is an enormously popular service, but it certainly has its competitors. Apple Music is currently beating the service in the United States when it comes to paid subscriber numbers, and, despite not being as popular, Pandora continues to catch up in terms of features and might get a tailwind from its recent deal that would see the company acquired by SiriusXM. To make sure it stays competitive and keeps its customers happy, Spotify is rolling out an update for Premium subscribers.
In September, Pandora rolled out a new feature called The Drop, which took a cue from Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist. Now, one of the biggest features of the Spotify Premium update returns the favor.
Endless Artist Radio is an upgrade of Artist Radio, which already existed for Premium subscribers. Not only are these playlists personalized based on your listening history, and updated frequently, they’re downloadable so you can listen to them even when no internet connection is handy.
Spotify has also streamlined its layout for easier navigation, making finding what you’re looking for a simpler task. The home screen is where you’ll find your personalized recommendations, while your favorite songs, artists, playlists, and podcasts are all found in the library. If you’re looking for something new, you’ll want to check out the Search section.
The Search page has been redesigned, making it what Spotify calls “the new one-stop destination for artists, albums, podcasts, and more.” This applies whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or you’re looking for something new but don’t quite know what that might be. The top of the page now shows your favorite genres, which can change over time depending on what you’ve been listening to recently. For some people this may not ever change, but if you’re a genre hopper, this can help you stay in the groove.
In the blog post announcing the new features, Spotify describes them as “initial updates” to Spotify Premium, so there may be other features in the works as well. These updates have begun rolling out today, October 18, for users of the iOS and Android apps across the world, so if you haven’t gotten them yet, keep an eye out.
