Amazon Music Launches AI-Powered 'Explore' Feature for Enhanced Artist Discovery

Amazon Music Rolls Out AI-Powered Search Feature to Select Users

Meara covers streaming service news for CNET. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. When she's not writing, she likes to dote over her cat, sip black coffee and try out new horror movies. Amazon Music has announced a new AI-powered search experience which launches on Tuesday in beta to select users. The new experimental feature is meant to enhance music discovery, according to an Amazon press release. A subset of US Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers in the beta will be able to search for an artist in the Amazon Music app on iOS and tap "Explore." From there, they'll encounter "curated music collections" and a quick way to create AI-generated playlists. "By leveraging AI to enhance search and discovery features, we're making it easier for fans to dive deeper into the worlds of their favorite artists and find new ones they'll love," Ryan Redington, general manager of Amazon Music, said in a statement. The press release includes examples of what users might see when they search for artists like Jelly Roll, Bad Bunny and Blackpink. The "Explore" tab for the K-pop group, for instance, presents tracks grouped into categories like "global collaborations" and "pre-2020 classics." Amazon Music will expand the list of artists included in the experience over time. If you're in the beta, you can try out the new feature by updating the Amazon Music app to the latest version, tapping the "Find" button, searching for an artist and tapping "Explore." An Amazon Music Unlimited subscription starts at $12 per month for an Individual plan. It includes unlimited song skips, the ability to listen to one audiobook each month and other perks. Amazon Music Unlimited differs from the version of Amazon Music you get with an Amazon Prime membership. For example, there are skip limits with Amazon Music Prime. Here's a chart from Amazon that breaks down exactly what you get with both versions.

Amazon's new AI tool could deepen your connection to artists

Amazon Music is testing a new AI-powered search feature called "Explore," designed to help fans learn more about their favorite artists. The feature is currently rolling out to select Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers in the U.S. on the iOS app. To use "Explore," users can tap the "Find" button at the bottom of the screen, enter an artist's name in the search bar, and select the "Explore" tab at the top left. This will direct them to information about the artist, including collaborations with other singers, related artists, and highlights from their discography. For instance, searching for Jelly Roll will reveal notable duets like "Save Me," featuring Lainey Wilson. The feature also promotes Amazon Music's original content, such as Jelly Roll's exclusive cover of "Should've Been A Cowboy," featuring T-Pain. Users will also have the option to create an AI-generated playlist, building on Amazon Music's previously launched Maestro feature, which competes with Spotify's AI DJ. This Amazon robot has a sense of feel The "Explore" feature is currently limited to 10,000 artists, including Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK. Its rollout comes a few months after Amazon raised the price of its Music Unlimited subscription by $1 to $11, potentially aiming to entice more users to pay the new cost with the new feature. Amazon Music's introduction of "Explore" appears to be part of its strategy to keep users engaged with the app for longer and connect with artists, while also promoting its original content and competing with other streaming services.