Spotify's Daylists: "Astrology is out, daylist is in."

If you use Spotify, or if you check Instagram stories, you’ve seen Spotify’s newest feature called, “Daylists.”

These unique and usually funny user-tailored playlists are meant to reflect users' tastes in genres, artists, and moods revolutionizing the way users experience personalized music curation. Using artificial intelligence (AI), Spotify has created a unique algorithm that generates daily playlists tailored to each user's listening habits and mood. This innovative use of AI has transformed the music streaming experience, providing users 3 different playlists with a seamless and personalized soundtrack for their day.

One of the key aspects of Spotify's 'Daylists' is the use of AI to analyze user data and behavior to create customized playlists. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, Spotify can understand each user's music preferences, mood, and listening patterns. This enables the platform to curate playlists that are not only tailored to the user's musical tastes but also reflect their current emotional state and activities. The AI-powered 'Daylists' are designed to adapt and evolve, continuously learning from user interactions to refine personalized music recommendations.

"Hyper-personalized, dynamic, and playful" is how Molly Holder, Spotify's Senior Product Director described daylists in The New York Times. They aim to reflect users' unique audio identities.

In addition to analyzing user data, Spotify's AI also takes into account external factors such as the time of day, weather, and location to further enhance the personalized playlist experience. For example, on a rainy day, the algorithm may suggest calming and introspective music, while on a sunny day, it may curate upbeat and energetic tracks. This level of personalization demonstrates the sophistication of Spotify's AI technology and its ability to create a truly immersive and tailored music listening experience.

Furthermore, the use of AI in 'Daylists' showcases the potential for technology to enhance user engagement and satisfaction in the music streaming industry. By leveraging AI to deliver hyper-personalized content, Spotify is setting a new standard for user experience and retention. As AI continues to advance, we can expect to see further innovations in personalized music curation, ultimately reshaping the way we interact with and consume music.

Spotify has stayed at the forefront of AI innovation long before daylists. The Marketing AI Institute found that Spotify has been using artificial intelligence for their DJ feature, personalized playlists like Discover Weekly, and Spotify Wrapped, and AI-powered recommendations showcase the platform's commitment to enhancing the user experience through AI technology.

What does this mean for artists? 

Artists need to be more self-aware and understand where their music is being listened to. What genre or mood does your music have? What are the similar artists appearing next to you? These are all things artists need to pay attention to make sure their music is reaching their audience. As Spotify users and listeners continue to get more unique tastes and curated content, artists need to be alert to what their audience is engaging with them or how they are absorbing their music.