Spotify’s Biggest App Update In Over A Decade Includes A TikTok-Style Home Feed

It looks like yet another social media platform has lost its style to TikTok. Spotify recently introduced its brand-new homepage, featuring the same vertical scrolling style as the former app, though the company believes its design is “more visual, dynamic.”

The firm said the changes—including the TikTok-esque ‘discovery’ feeds, a ‘Smart Shuffle’ mode, and podcast autoplay—are to build “deeper discovery and more meaningful connections between artists and fans.”

Some of the added features, such as Smart Shuffle, will only be accessible by subscribers, while the homepage feed change will be rolled out to all users. Spotify has yet to specify a particular timeline for the release. 

The Smart Shuffle function, which works when you double tap on the icon, allows for playlists to automatically add relevant songs to the mix while jumbling up the order in which they are played.

While the platform explained the update would allow users to “scroll purposefully” and identify new content to enjoy, it could be a precursor to introducing advertisements, which TechCrunch pointed out Instagram has done with Reels.

Image via Spotify

In addition, visual features will begin to appear inside the site’s curated playlists, such as Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and New Music Friday, so that listeners can preview new titles before hitting play.

Those in the US and Canada will have extra changes, including the addition of Spotify’s artificial intelligence (AI) DJ below the eight personalized shortcuts in the Music tab. Users will also be able to see reasons as to why they were given particular recommendations.

Last but not least, podcasts will now come with the same optional autoplay feature as music. So once an episode is done, the next “relevant episode” will begin playing without you having to move a finger.

“Spotify is the first platform to enable truly seamless previews across music, podcasts, and audiobooks—and they’re now beginning to roll out to Premium and Free users globally across iOS and Android,” the firm said.

Ready, set, discover new audio easier than ever before! Take a look at our greatest app evolution yet. Introducing @Spotify's new Home feed. #SpotifyStreamOn pic.twitter.com/OHrp3C6FOT

— Spotify News is celebrating #SpotifyStreamOn! (@SpotifyNews) March 8, 2023

[via Engadget and TechCrunch, images via Spotify]