Tag: Spotify Premium

Spotify’s ‘Your Library’ Refresh: What You Need to Know

June 13, 2019

Starting today, we’re introducing a new version of Your Library to Premium users that mixes form with function. Everything about the reimagined Library is designed to get you to the content you want faster. It also makes getting started and staying up-to-date with podcasts on Spotify a seamless, personalized experience.

Right away, you’ll notice that Your Library is streamlined, and all it takes is a tap or swipe to toggle between new tabs for Podcasts and Music. Under each of those sections, you’ll see how quickly you can control and access the content you want.

Check out the video below to learn more, or scroll down for more in-depth explorations of the new Podcast and Music tabs.

Podcasts

Put simply, the new design gives you more control over your podcast listening experience, and quickly helps you discover new shows and episodes. You can manage your podcasts in three distinct sections: Episodes, Downloads, and Shows.

  • Episodes: The Episodes tab allows you to quickly find new episodes or resume podcasts you’re listening to, so picking up where you left off is a snap. And further down the list you’ll find newly released episodes of all the podcasts you follow. So, for example, the episode of The Rewind with Guy Raz that you paused yesterday will appear up top, followed by the new episode of Jemele Hill is Unbothered you’d been waiting for.
  • Downloads: This tab serves as your repository for the podcast episodes you’ve downloaded—so you can listen even when you’re offline.
  • Shows: The new Shows tab allows you to quickly manage the podcasts you follow and explore their past episodes. The higher up a podcast appears on your list in this section, the more recently a new episode became available.

Music

First things first: All your music is still here. And we’ve made finding and accessing the content you want even faster. A tap on the Music tab automatically drops you into your Playlists section, and the artists you follow and albums you’ve saved are just a swipe away. Pull down to quickly search, sort, and filter in any way you’d like.

  • Playlists: All the playlists you’ve previously liked or made are here, plus a new one: Liked Songs. Every time you <3 a song it’s added to this playlist, and you can now quickly download all its content at once for offline listening. When you’re offline, we’ll also automatically sort your playlists to show you the ones you have downloaded and available.
  • Artists: This section is just what it sounds like: a true representation of the artists you follow. To add an artist to this section, tap the “follow” button on the artist’s page.
  • Albums: If you tap the heart icon on any album, you’ll find it’s saved to this section for quick listening in the future. To save all the songs to your Liked Songs playlist, tap the “…” menu and select “Like all songs.”  

From podcasts to music, the refreshed Spotify will help you manage and access all your audio content in a more personalized, streamlined manner.  

Enjoy Your Favorite Hulu Shows—and the Music Behind Them—On Us with a Spotify Premium Membership

March 12, 2019

Starting today, March 12, you can enjoy Hulu as part of your regular $9.99-per-month Spotify Premium membership. Devour Hulu’s library of hit TV series and films, current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network, and acclaimed Hulu Originals to your heart’s desire at no extra charge. That’s right, you are getting Hulu on us.

Just so you know, you won’t be alone when you head to Spotify to stream the track that played during the tear-jerking final moment of the show you most recently binged (say, NBC’s This Is Us). Many Spotify Premium and Hulu subscribers already enjoy this exceptional entertainment-to-audio experience.

Just take a look at the dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale. Fans of the show quickly headed to Spotify to stream the songs woven into many episodes’ pivotal scenes. U.S. streams of Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” and the Dusty Springfield classic “I Only Want to Be with You” rose 86 percent and 127 percent, respectively, the week after the songs were played in season 2 episodes last summer. Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work” surged a whopping 433 percent after it was featured in episode 1 of the second season.

If you want to start with something a little more lighthearted (with a fun, upbeat soundtrack to boot), check out the new Hulu Original adult comedy Pen15, which premiered in February and is getting rave reviews. Viewers of Hulu’s endearing-yet-edgy series about the thirteen-year-old outcast experience are eagerly streaming the show’s featured songs on Spotify. “DemiRep” by Bikini Kill, the song from Pen15’s title sequence, jumped 96 percent the week after the series  premiered. Streams of “All My Life” by K-Ci & JoJo popped 105 percent, and the ‘90s classic “Dreams” by The Cranberries shot up 304 percent after that tune played in the show’s penultimate episode.

  • If you’re already a Spotify Premium user, it only takes a few seconds to add Hulu’s ad-supported plan to your account—just visit the Your Services page.
  • If you’re new to Spotify Premium, sign up for the bundle now at Spotify.com; you’ll get your first thirty days of both Spotify Premium and Hulu on us, then pay $9.99 per month.
  • Subscribers who are currently paying $12.99 per month as part of last year’s bundle offer will be automatically reduced to the regular Spotify Premium $9.99 price.

Start exploring and enjoying the best music, movies and TV shows—all as part of your Spotify Premium membership. Limited quantity of offers: Open until June 10, 2019 or while supplies last. Terms apply.

Check out the official Spotify playlists for The Handmaid’s Tale and Pen15.

The Spotify Holiday Gift Guide Is Here

November 21, 2018

Festive pajamas, scarves, candles, chocolate … you’ve already exhausted all the go-to gifts for your inner circle. Here’s an obvious but brilliant idea: music. It’s a clear crowd pleaser, and with Spotify, giving the joy of music—to your family, friends, loved ones, or self—may be easier to give than you think.

From a Premium account to a Spotify-compatible wearable, there are plenty of holiday gift options to please everyone—from the pickiest listener to your own music-loving self.

For the bestie who’s always asking what song is playing
We recommend: a Spotify digital gift card

Don’t leave them out of the loop. A gentle nudge toward a Premium subscription means hours of ad-free podcasts, uninterrupted song listening, and more features that help keep a person up to date with the latest releases. A generous gift card will make that transition to Premium even smoother. Gift 12 months for $119.88, 6 months for $59.94, 3 months for $29.97, and 1 month for $9.99.

If you’re looking to keep up with the Joneses
We recommend: Spotify Premium for Family

The Joneses might not all agree with what to listen to at any given moment, but luckily they don’t have to, because *they* have unlimited access to Spotify’s audio library through their shared account. So why not you too? With a Spotify Premium for Family account, allow the young listeners in your house to keep the older generation savvy with what’s hot right now—and also get really into their parents’ throwback playlists. Bonus: Family master account holders in the US ($14.99 a month for up to six family members) get a Google Home Mini voice speaker as part of their plan for a limited time—so it’s a two-for-one.

For the family member who’s always misplacing their smartphone
We recommend: any smart home device

Forget that phone—with a new smart home device, you can access your music speaker with the sound of your voice. First, download Spotify. Then simply say the name, artist, playlist, or burning question, and the built-in assistant will answer. Plus, most smart home devices are compatible with Spotify Connect, so the music will surround you whenever, wherever.

For the college student who’s too stressed to playlist
We recommend: Spotify Premium for Students

We get it, it’s been a tough semester. But no matter how many essays, quizzes, tests, projects, theses, or finals you’ve conquered, there’s always time for a study playlist—or a night off with a movie. So treat yo’ self to Spotify Premium for Students and get access to Spotify Premium—and, if you’re in the US, Hulu and SHOWTIME—for a low monthly price that means you can still afford your textbooks.

For the fitness addict whose playlists are timed to a daily run
We recommend: a Spotify-compatible smartwatch

Some come with Spotify pre-installed, so all you have to do is point toward the tunes that get you going. With others, simply download the Spotify app. Either way, it’s a great way to play your music in style.

For the “It’s the thought that counts” friend
We recommend: Spotify’s relaunched free version

It’s like the mixtapes you once lovingly curated. Play songs in any order, skip all you want, discover new artists, and create your own playlists. The best part? It doesn’t cost a thing. Instruct them to simply download the app, add some of their favorite artists, and go.

No matter whether you’re buying for yourself or for others, check out our latest Spotify Singles Christmas songs to keep you in the holiday spirit, making your list and checking it twice.

Spotify Premium for Family Gets a New Family Member—A Google Home Mini

October 31, 2018

*Updated April 24, 2019: New and existing Premium for Family plan master account holders in Australia can now sign up for a Google Home Mini at https://www.spotify.com/us/family/ starting on 04/24. Note, this is a limited offer, only available for Australian Spotify Premium for Family users till May 14, 2019—so don’t wait.

*Updated March 18, 2019: New and existing Premium for Family plan master account holders in Great Britain and France can now sign up for a Google Home Mini at https://www.spotify.com/us/family/ starting on 03/18. Note, this is a limited offer, only available for Great Britain and France Spotify Premium for Family users till May 14, 2019—so don’t wait.

 

With the Spotify Premium for Family plan, families have unlimited access to the songs, playlists, and artists they love—and love to enjoy together. Starting tomorrow, we are teaming up with Google Home to give Spotify Premium for Family master account owners in the U.S. a Google Home Mini as part of their subscription. Now, music lovers across generations will be able to share their favorite music with the entire family, simply by asking their Google Home Mini powered by the Google Assistant.

Spotify Premium for Family subscribers already enjoy personalized Spotify accounts for up to six family members at only $14.99 per month. With Spotify Premium and Google Home partnering together to invest in voice, streaming your favorite songs and playlists has never been so easy. Once configured, Voice Match on Google Home can identify up to six people, meaning each person can enjoy a personalized experience. And it’s just the beginning.

“We’re excited to be partnering with Google Home to bring the magic of voice to our Spotify Premium Family subscribers. After all, what’s more fun than sharing the music you love with the people you love,” says Alex Norström, Chief Premium Business Officer. “For Family Plan subscribers, enjoying those moments will only get better. Now anytime their favorite artists comes up, they can simply say ‘Hey Google, turn it up!’

The Google Home Mini will be available for a limited time to Premium for Family plan master account holders in the U.S. at https://www.spotify.com/us/family/ starting on 11/1*. We’ve even streamlined the set-up to get you started and playing Spotify sooner.

To start listening, just say:
“Hey Google, play Spotify”
“Hey Google, resume Spotify”
“Hey Google, shuffle some music”
“Hey Google, play my Discover Weekly”
“Hey Google, play Dinner Party music”
“Hey Google, play Study music”
“Hey Google, play Hip Hop music”
“Hey Google, play my favorite music”
“Hey Google, play ‘Angel by Lionel Richie”

Then, when you’re in the zone, go:
“Hey Google, pause.”
“Hey Google, turn it up.”
“Hey Google, please quiet down.”
“Hey Google, like this song.”
“Hey Google, dislike this song.”
“Hey Google, skip forward 20 seconds.”
“Hey Google, skip backward one minute.”

And when you’re ready to discover more, try:
“Hey Google, play the next song.”
“Hey Google, what’s playing?
“Hey Google, who is this singer?”
“Hey Google, what’s this song?”
“Hey Google, what’s this album?”
Hey Google, when did this song come out?”

* New and existing Premium for Family plan master account holders can sign up for a Google Home Mini at https://www.spotify.com/us/family/ starting on 11/1. Note, this is a limited offer, only available for U.S. Spotify Premium for Family users till December 14, 2018—so don’t wait.

What’s New With Spotify Premium

October 18, 2018

We’re always looking for ways to provide the best possible methods for people to discover and enjoy the music they love. That’s why, starting today, we’re refreshing Spotify Premium to give our subscribers an even more personal and intuitive experience.

Here’s what’s new:

  • Streamlined navigation: We’ve refined the navigation to help people quickly find what they’re looking for. Subscribers can get great recommendations on Home, discover something new with Search, and access favorite songs, artists, playlists, and podcasts in Your Library.
  • Personalized Search: Our redesigned Search page is the new one-stop destination for artists, albums, podcasts, and more—whether the subscriber knows what they’re searching for or wants to explore something new. At the top of the screen, listeners can find their Top Genres—from indie to country to reggae—and easily discover the music that best reflects them and their mood.
  • Endless Artist Radio: If a subscriber wants a great playlist based on one of their favorite musicians or songs, they can simply search for it and start listening to one of the brand-new Artist Radio playlists. These offer an endless listening stream personalized to the listener’s own musical tastes. They’re updated regularly to keep things fresh—and what’s more, they’re even downloadable and available to play while offline.

These initial updates to Spotify Premium begin rolling out to all Premium subscribers on iOS and Android globally starting today, so get streaming.

Spotify Premium for Students: Now with Hulu and SHOWTIME

August 29, 2018

With back to school season upon us, students are stocking up on all they need to thrive at school. Though they may have busy schedules and tight budgets, they still want to keep up with their favorite shows and music. That’s why today, we’re announcing an upgraded Spotify Premium for Students plan, and giving students unrivaled access to world-class content for one low price.

Our current Spotify Premium for Students plan offers unlimited and on-demand access to all of our music and podcasts for $4.99, as well as a subscription to Hulu’s streaming library of current and fan-favorite TV and movie hits. Today we’re adding SHOWTIME to the plan, to let students enjoy even more award-winning, top-rated programming – all at the same low price and with the simplicity of one single bill. How’s that for an A+?

With the addition to the Spotify Premium for Students plan, students will have unlimited access to thousands of hours of SHOWTIME’s premium entertainment content. The shows run the gamut from original TV series – including Emmy® nominated Shameless, seven-season strong Homeland, Sacha Baron-Cohen’s Who Is America, Lena Waithe’s much anticipated The Chi, the upcoming comedy series Kidding starring Jim Carrey, and the semi-autobiographical SMILF, as well as Billions, Ray Donovan, The Affair, and Twin Peaks.

SHOWTIME’s library also includes blockbuster movies such as Girl on the Train and Baby Driver, in addition to live telecasts, music, comedy and political shows and documentaries, and sports programming, including SHOWTIME Championship Boxing. Spotify Premium for Students subscribers with SHOWTIME will also have access to the live telecast of the network’s East and West Coast feeds, as well as commercial-free access to all their shows, whether they’re watching on-demand or downloading for later.

Student Premium subscribers can of course already enjoy Hulu’s library of acclaimed Original Series, includes Emmy® and Golden Globe Award-winning series The Handmaid’s Tale, The Looming Tower, Marvel’s Runaways and Castle Rock; as well as current-season television like This is Us and Rick & Morty, hit movies and exclusive library series, including Family Guy, Lost, ER and more.

Spotify Premium has just changed the content game for students. By joining forces with SHOWTIME and continuing our relationship with Hulu, Spotify Premium is now able to give students a complete world of music and video content, shows and film. This latest offer for U.S. students—both the millions already on Spotify Premium and those who are new—really is huge. Never before have students had this level of streaming entertainment options, at this unprecedented value, all in one package.

Alex Norström, Chief Premium Officer, Spotify

In order to sign up, students should go to spotify.com/student. The updated plan—which includes Spotify Premium, Hulu, and SHOWTIME—is still only $4.99 per month. You don’t have to be a math major to see how that one adds up.

Existing Spotify Premium for Students subscribers should upgrade their plan to include both Hulu and SHOWTIME at no additional cost. And because we know students have plenty of other things they want to spend their money on—textbooks, for example 😉 —we’re offering the service to new subscribers for just $0.99 for the first three months.

Like all good students, you probably have some questions about the nitty gritty. Now’s the time to study up.

1. Can I get this offer if I am not already a Spotify Premium for Students subscriber?

Absolutely. You can easily sign up for the Spotify Premium for Students Plan at spotify.com/student.

2. If I already have the Spotify Premium for Students with Hulu plan, how do I get Showtime?

You’ll have immediate access to SHOWTIME as a pre-existing Spotify Premium for Student user. Simply upgrade your account and activate SHOWTIME at www.spotify.com/student.

3. How do I know if I’m eligible?

All U.S. college students enrolled at Title IV accredited institutions are eligible to participate.

4. If I have SHOWTIME or Hulu already, can I pair them?

You will not be able to pair an existing SHOWTIME or Hulu account and your Spotify Premium for Students plan. To access SHOWTIME or Hulu through the Spotify Premium plan, cancel your current SHOWTIME or Hulu subscription and then sign up for Spotify Premium for Students.

5. Do I get one login/username for all three apps?

You will need to set up three separate accounts, one for each service.

6. What devices can I use?

No matter how, where, or when you stream, Spotify, SHOWTIME, and Hulu are available on their respective apps across all your devices—TV, tablet, phone, and computer.

Excited to go back to school? We are too.

How Your Daily Mix “Just Gets You”

May 18, 2018

Your music-listening experience should be exactly that—yours. We’ve come up with a bunch of ways to help you get the most out of your jam sessions (think Discover Weekly and enhanced playlists), so you’re fed the music you love, plus the occasional new tune.

Another cool tool is the Daily Mix, a feature both premium and free users can enjoy on the mobile and desktop experience. After you’ve been listening to your favorite hits on Spotify for some time, (in the new app for free users, it can be the very day you download,) the platform will serve up to six personalized playlists based on your favorite songs and related music you might enjoy. And these playlists update daily, so the head-bopping never stops.

We sat down with the minds behind Spotify’s Daily Mix playlists to learn a little more about how they work and how listeners can best use the feature.

Q: What is the Daily Mix? Where can users find it in their apps?

The Daily Mix is a set of up to six pre-mixed playlists inspired by our users’ favorite music. It can be found in “Your Library” on desktop or premium mobile, the radio tab on premium mobile, or on the home screen for users of the new free app experience.

Q: How did the Daily Mix come to be?

Daily Mix was designed to provide familiar, comfortable music within each of the user’s top listening modes. It’s designed to be the shortest path to a good musical experience. It reflects how the user actually listens, rather than matching their favorite music against predefined genres. We use clustering technology to identify distinct subgroupings within our users’ listening patterns, and then build recommendations around those, mixing in appropriate new suggestions along with the known favorites.

Q: How does the Daily Mix use listener preferences to deliver the mix? (AKA how does the playlist work from a tech standpoint?)

We consider inputs including listening history and active feedback, and look for groupings of a user’s most commonly listened to artists to create the Daily Mix. Once we’ve identified clusters of music, we extend each with recommendations using our understanding of the user’s favorite music, and then pick a balance of music they’ve played before and new content to fill out the playlist.

Q: There are multiple Daily Mix playlists served up each day. How is each one different, and how diverse can they get?

A: Each one is based on a different listening mode or grouping we identify in the user’s listening and feedback. There can be up to six, and they can be as widely diverse as the user’s history suggests. Someone who listens to a lot of different kinds of music will have more mixes than someone who primarily focuses on one style.

Q: Does the order of the Daily Mixes matter?

A: They’re ordered roughly based on how much of the user’s listening inspired each one.

Q: How is the Daily Mix different from the Discover Weekly playlist?

A: They’re intended to fulfill very different needs. Daily Mix emphasizes familiar and even favorite music with only a small amount of discovery. Even the discovery we do introduce should be less adventurous than Discover Weekly. The Daily Mix is also unbounded—for Premium users, it will load more songs as needed to keep the music going without stopping, while Discover Weekly always has 30 tracks.

Q: Can free users enjoy the Daily Mix playlist?

A: Yes! It’s available to all users who we know enough about to generate one. On the new experience for free users, it’s considered to be one of their 15 Spotify-curated playlists, so they are able to play any song on-demand.

Q: If users don’t like what is showing up in their Daily Mix, how can they adjust it?

A: The like/dislike icons allow users to steer the mix. “Disliking” will exclude the song or artist from all mixes from that point forward. Continuing to stream and listening to new music is the best way to get an entirely new mix.

Spotify and Hulu Expand Partnership

April 11, 2018

Spotify and Hulu Expand Partnership To Give Music and TV Fans All Of Their Favorites in One Premium Bundle for $12.99 Per Month

New Mass Market Subscription Plan – Spotify Premium, Now with Hulu – Launches Today

Music and TV are better together, and streaming your favorite music and TV shows just got a whole lot easier. Following last year’s successful launch of the Spotify Premium for Students, now with Hulu bundle, the brands are expanding their original partnership, this time to offer entertainment fans nationwide an affordable, all you can stream bundle of their own. The new subscription plan, Spotify Premium, now with Hulu, brings the two popular services together and allows subscribers to enjoy a world of ad-free music on Spotify Premium, as well as the more than 75,000 current and classic hit television shows and movies on Hulu’s ad-supported service – all through a single $12.99-a-month subscription plan. Beginning today, existing Spotify Premium subscribers not only have early access to the $12.99-a-month bundle, eligible subscribers can also take advantage of a 99-cent promotional offer to try the Hulu Limited Commercials plan for three months as an introduction to the bundle. Spotify Premium, now with Hulu will be available to everyone this summer.

Two Subscriptions, One Bill, One Low Price

Just like the college student bundle, the new subscription plan combines Hulu’s Limited Commercials streaming library – with more than twice the number of episodes available than any of the other streaming services – and Spotify’s popular Premium subscription plan, both on the same bill, and all in one convenient package. In addition to Hulu’s popular original series like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Looming Tower and Marvel’s Runaways, the new bundle gives Spotify subscribers access to Hulu’s enormous offering of thousands of hit TV series and movies, including The Good Doctor, this season’s #1 new drama; Roseanne, this season’s #1 new series; fan-favorite This is Us; Emmy® Award-winning comedy Atlanta; popular hits like Family Guy, The Voice and Power, and entire series runs of beloved shows like Lost, ER, Seinfeld, Full House, Family Matters and more.

“Based on the outstanding performance of the Spotify and Hulu student package, it’s clear that consumers love to combine their music and television experiences together,” said Tim Connolly, SVP, Head of Distribution and Partnerships at Hulu. “Hulu and Spotify are brands that are defining how fans connect with entertainment in the future, and we are excited to expand our partnership to bring this combined package to all existing and new Spotify Premium subscribers.”

“Our student launch with Hulu was incredibly well received and we are excited to extend our reach by bringing Hulu to more of our Premium members in the US,” said Alex Norstrom, Chief Premium Business Officer at Spotify. “Hulu’s TV content is highly acclaimed, and with this exclusive Spotify offer we are bundling two top media platforms for an unbeatable price. This is just one example of how we can add value to our premium members day after day.”

How to Watch, Listen and Stream

Existing Spotify Premium subscribers can take advantage of a special introductory offer by upgrading their existing Premium plan to Spotify Premium, now with Hulu. The offer grants an initial three-month Hulu subscription for the exclusive price of 99 cents before charging a monthly price of $12.99 for the bundle. Subscribers will gain access to Hulu’s growing on-demand library of award-winning original series.

Spotify and Hulu anticipate opening up the new bundle offer to those without a Spotify Premium account this summer.

Click here to learn more about the bundle, eligibility requirements and to sign-up.