Spotify Enhances AI DJ with Voice Command Functionality

Spotify updates its AI DJ to let you use voice commands | TechCrunch

In a bid to make its AI DJ feel more interactive, Spotify is updating the feature to let users request music or change the mood of a playlist using voice commands. The company is rolling out this feature, supported only in English, in over 60 markets for its premium subscribers. Until now, you could only listen to the AI DJ play songs with some commentary in between. The company is now adding an interactive element to the feature. Users can now tell the AI DJ to change the mood or genre, or have it play tracks from specific artists. Users can search for the AI DJ in the search bar and hold the DJ button on the bottom right to make requests through voice commands. If you want to change the feel of the playlist without making a specific request, you can quickly press the DJ button. Spotify first launched the AI DJ feature in February 2023 in the U.S. and Canada. The company later rolled it out globally in August 2023. Last year, the music streaming company added support for a Spanish-speaking AI DJ. The company's other big AI feature lets users create playlists using text prompts.

Spotify's AI DJ now let you use voice commands to personalize your tunes | TechCrunch

In a bid to make its AI DJ feel more interactive, Spotify is updating the feature to allow users to request music or change the mood of a playlist using voice commands. The company is rolling out this feature, initially only supported in English, in over 60 markets for its Premium subscribers. Previously, users could only listen to the AI DJ play songs with added commentary in between certain tracks. Now, the feature is becoming interactive. Users can tell the AI DJ to change the mood or genre, or have it play tracks from specific artists. To use the AI DJ, you can type in "DJ" in the search bar, then hold the DJ button on the bottom right to make requests through voice commands. If you want to change the feel of the playlist without making a specific request, you can quickly press the DJ button. Spotify first launched the AI DJ feature in February 2023 in the U.S. and Canada. The company later rolled it out globally in August 2023. Last year, the music streaming company added support for a Spanish-speaking AI DJ. The company's other big AI feature lets users create playlists using text prompts.

Spotify's AI DJ now takes requests

Users can access these new capabilities by pressing and holding the 'DJ' button located in the bottom right corner when using the AI DJ feature and listening for a beep. Users can then verbally tell the DJ bot what they want to hear, such as "play me some electronic beats for a midday run," or "surprise me with some indie tracks I've never heard before." Prior to the update, this button would just randomly switch up whatever song you were currently listening to and didn't allow users to control what would be played next. Now, Spotify says that users can direct it to play specific artists, genres, and moods. It also borrows some of the quirkier vibe-based music recommendations from the AI Playlist building feature that Spotify launched in beta last year, which creates a tracklist based on text prompts. For example, users can ask the AI DJ to "play me some music to soundtrack my life as a movie."

Spotify's AI DJ now takes requests

Spotify's AI DJ is taking requests. Starting on Tuesday, Premium subscribers can ask it to play something that fits the mood. Although the company added a Spanish-speaking version last year, requests are only available in English at launch. The AI DJ will respond to verbal requests for a specific artist, genre, mood or something that fits an activity. Spotify suggests phrases like "DJ, morning motivation needed ASAP," "Surprise me with some indie tracks" or "Play me something with a Y2K vibe." You can find it by heading to the search tab and entering "DJ." After it starts spinning, press and hold the DJ button in the lower right-hand corner. Once you hear a beep, you can tell your synthetic disc jockey about your insatiable thirst for A Flock of Seagulls deep cuts. Spotify's AI DJ launched in 2023, aiming to strike a balance between today's ultra-personalized streaming algorithms and old-school radio. The company says none of its dialog is pre-recorded. It's all generated on the fly via OpenAI. Whether you love or hate the DJ, it can make for unintentional comedy as it butchers names and falls prey to AI's inevitable awkwardness. When I tried it with a classic blues mix, it consistently pronounced Howlin' Wolf as "Hole-in' Wolf." Some gems from a 2024 Reddit thread include "Blink One Hundred Eighty-Two" and "Here are some of your typical Sunday morning vibes, starting off with Shitfucker."

Your Spotify DJ can now take requests, elevating your listening experience

Spotify's DJ can finally take listener requests, and you can just use your voice to do so in real time. Allowing the AI-powered DJ to take requests is just one step towards giving users more control over their music listening sessions. However, voice command is the only way to do requests, making this an awkward feature to use if you're listening to music with headphones in a quiet space. When DJ first rolled out, it utilized AI to learn your music tastes over time, and it will use that information to choose what to play for you. But now, with the ability to take requests, users can update DJ to play music that they want to hear at that moment, rather than just going with what the DJ suggests. So now users can adjust the vibes as they see fit. This is particularly useful if the listener wants to set a mood for a date night or get everyone hyped up for a party.

Spotify's AI DJ might actually be useful soon

Summary Spotify's AI DJ now takes requests for playlist mood and specific music, showing dedication to enhancing AI implementation. While user opinions on AI interactivity vary, new features like instant mood changes and voice searching subtly increase convenience. Spotify Premium users can access the DJ X by searching for "DJ" or via "Made for You," and holding the DJ button to input voice prompts. Remember VH1's "Pop Up Video"? In the late '90s, MTV's sister station made music videos especially interesting by peppering them with pop-up song facts. Fast-forward a couple of decades into the streaming era, and distribution giant Spotify has employed powerful AI models to create themed playlists and tell you about certain songs you're about to hear, and not much else. Over two years after launching the AI DJ, Spotify is finally letting it take requests. A recent upgrade adds interactive functionality that lets you request a different playlist mood as well as specific music (Source: TechCrunch). While not the most mind-blowing advancements, the new features indicate the streaming behemoth is likely continuing to dedicate resources to refining its AI implementation. Related I tried Spotify and Apple Music, only to realize YouTube Music is the better choice I just wish the UI was better Posts 14 Talking to AI about music Do AI DJs dream of electric sheep sound effects? DJ X, or DJ Livi as it's known in Mexican Spanish, doesn't have the most grating voice, but also hasn't provided a ton of insight or novel functionality until now. Over its two-year existence, Spotify listeners have periodically taken to social media to criticize it as too similar to typical Spotify recommendations. Of course, any automatic playlist generation feature will, necessarily, see refinements over time. A growing number of users enjoy DJ X's contributions, and the update could bring its benefits to previously skeptical listeners. Instant mood changes and easy song searching by voice won't revolutionize anybody's streaming experience, but they do illustrate how LLMs and AI can subtly increase convenience in novel ways. Related Spotify likes teasing its Hi-Fi tier, and it loves not delivering it Will we get Spotify's lossless tier before GTA 6? Posts 1 To access DJ X and its increasing capabilities, Spotify Premium users can simply search for "DJ" or access it by tapping "Made for You" in the search menu. Holding the DJ button that appears on the bottom right lets you record a voice prompt, and a quick tap on the icon switches up the playlist mood -- based on what the AI model indicates you're in the mood for, rather than any direct input. Only Premium subscribers can access the AI DJ. Users have yet to reach a consensus on the newly expanded interactivity. When they do, expect Spotify to use that feedback to improve the feature. Alongside additional new tools for enhancing music discovery, better AI voice control could greatly increase the value of a Spotify subscription. Now, if it can ever complete the quest for a shuffle mode that doesn't stink, then we'll be impressed. Related Don't believe the hype: High-resolution audio isn't worth it Your headphones and Bluetooth codec make most of the difference Posts

Spotify's AI DJ now takes requests

Spotify is turning up the volume on personalization with a new feature that lets Premium users make real-time music requests using just their voice. The music streamer has officially launched DJ requests, an interactive update to its AI-powered DJ feature, now available in over 60 markets worldwide. According to Spotify, this upgrade comes in response to growing user demand for more control and interactivity during listening sessions. Now, instead of passively enjoying a curated mix created by AI, listeners can shape the vibe on the fly, asking for anything from a specific genre or artist to a soundtrack that fits their current mood or activity. To try it out, Premium users can simply go to the Search tab in the Spotify app and type in "DJ." After pressing play, the AI DJ kicks off a personalized mix complete with commentary. When it's time to switch things up, users can press and hold the DJ button in the lower right corner until a beep sounds. That's the cue to speak a request, such as: If you're not sure what you want, Spotify has you covered: a quick tap of the DJ button skips to the next section for a fresh vibe without needing a specific command. As audio platforms race to deepen engagement, Spotify's voice-interactive DJ could redefine how users experience music on demand. By merging personalization, ease of use, and interactivity, the company aims to keep Premium users tuned in and tuned up, wherever they go. Sure, voice recognition in a music app isn't groundbreaking tech, and early users may find that the novelty wears off if the feature doesn't consistently understand or deliver on more nuanced requests. Still, Spotify's move into voice interactivity signals a larger trend in streaming: shifting away from passive listening toward more dynamic, AI-driven engagement. For Premium users, it's another tool in an increasingly complex listening toolkit, one that aims to turn Spotify from a simple music streaming platform into a more conversational, almost companion-like experience. So whether you're heading out for a run, hosting a dinner party, chasing a vibe, or just need the perfect track for your "main character moment," your Spotify DJ is now ready to take your requests, no searching required. Just say it, and let the DJ handle the rest.

Spotify's DJ feature has just got a much-needed upgrade, and it could totally change my mind on the AI music tool

The feature is being rolled out today in over 60 markets for Premium users Spotify's AI DJ tool has divided users since it was introduced in 2023, and now the platform's resident maestro has just received its first major upgrade. As of today, your AI DJ will be able to take your requests in English, launching in more than 60 markets for Premium users. That's right, as well as curating a personalized listening experience based on your music habits, you can feed AI DJ voice prompts, and from there, it will use your request to update your listening session based on the music you want to hear at that moment. For example, you can use the prompt 'Surprise me with some indie tracks I've never heard before' to discover new indie artists, or even "Play me some electronic beats for a midday run" so that DJ can motivate you during times of hard work. For a while, Spotify users have been asking for more ways to interact with their AI DJs and have more say in what they play during their listening sessions. The DJ tool's new ability to take requests from users is definitely a much-needed upgrade for the feature. But despite this big change, Spotify has made it clear that it will continue to honor AI DJ's original ethos of bringing you closer to new music, as well as reacquainting you with old favorites with "insights from (its) global editorial experts". It's no secret that Spotify's AI DJ hasn't been able to grab my attention, and that's down to my preference for its Daylist feature, however, its new requests function is really tempting me to dip my toe back into AI DJ. I just hope I can get past its slightly jarring commentary this time. As of today AI DJ will be able to take your voice requests and vamp up your listening session in ways it hasn't before, and one of the greatest things about it is that it's very simple to use.

Your Spotify AI DJ Is Now Taking Verbal Requests

Spotify's AI DJ is like if ChatGPT decided to switch careers. The DJ curates a playlist of music based on Premium subscribers' previous play history, including new and old songs in the mix. Of course, the headline feature is the DJ's voice, as the AI bot announces which songs are up next, as well as some information about each. Whether you love or hate AI, it's a pretty harmless feature, and seems fun for those who pay for Spotify. While DJ feels interactive, it really isn't. Aside from skipping songs, it's mostly a passive feature. That's now changing: In a blog post on Tuesday, Spotify announced that you will now be able to make requests to the DJ with your voice. If you're enjoying the personalized playlist, but want to listen to something in particular -- whether that be a song, genre, or mood -- you can now ask the DJ to play it. In a video on the press release, Spotify demos a user asking, "DJ, morning motivation needed ASAP...give me some dance-pop vibes." The DJ responds in kind: "No problem. Here's some LISA." In another example, the user asks, "play me something with a Y2K vibe to celebrate." DJ decides to run with Tate McRae, "with that nostalgic sound you've had on repeat." Some other request examples Spotify highlighted include: Spotify says that DJ requests are available in English for Premium users in over 60 markets. If you have access to the DJ, you have access to requests. First, you'll need to subscribe to Spotify Premium and live in an area where the DJ is available. If those two points are met, open Spotify and search for "DJ." Press play to launch the DJ, then press and hold the DJ button in the right-hand corner. (Listen for a beep.) Now, place your request. As usual, if you don't have a specific request but want to hear something else, you can simply skip to the next track, which will likely be something totally different than what was just playing.

Spotify's AI-powered DJ now takes song requests

Since it launched two years ago, Spotify's AI DJ has been a one-way experience. It curates old favorites and helps listeners discover new tracks based on past listening experience and what similar users like. But now it's getting interactive. Spotify unveiled the ability to request songs from the DJ based on mood, genre, and vibe. The feature, which launched across 60 markets, is exclusive to Spotify Premium users, who can access the DJ by searching for the tool in the app. It's the latest AI feature to come from Spotify, which introduced an AI-generated playlist builder for Premium users in the United States last fall. But Molly Holder, Spotify's senior director of product for personalization, says that tool was designed for people who want to take an active role in their listening experience. The new DJ request feature, by contrast, is designed to give users more input into an essentially "lean back" experience. "We know that even in a 'lean back' moment, users still want some semblance of control," she says.

My favourite key Spotify feature gets even better thanks to a new update | Stuff

Spotify's AI-powered DJ feature will now let you make requests - whether that's for specific songs, genres, or "vibes" One of my favourite Spotify features is the AI-powered DJ that lives in the app. In fact, I'd go as far as saying it makes Spotify one of the top music streamers. It's like having your own radio DJ to curate your tunes on your behalf. Now, the feature is getting even better makes to a new update that adds one of the most requested abilities. Premium users can now shout song requests directly at their digital DJ, transforming the experience into a proper two-way interaction. The idea is simple but genius. Just press and hold the DJ button, wait for the beep, and then tell the AI what you're in the mood for. Want synth-heavy electronic for your lunchtime jog? Just ask. Need some painfully dramatic ballads for your "main character" moment on the bus? Go for it. Whether you want a genre, mood, artist or "vibe," Spotify's DJ is all ears. It's the same DJ personality you know and love - modelled after Spotify's Xavier "X" Jernigan. It serves up your musical recommendations with just enough friendly banter to keep things interesting without becoming unbearable. Now, though, you're not just listening to DJ X, you get to chat with him. You've got a voice in your own personalised playlist. This feature, still in beta, won't be fetching podcasts or audiobooks just yet - it's music-only. But for those of us who like a bit of variety and loathe endlessly fiddling with playlists, being able to just say "give me some modern country for my cowboy era" without shame is a dream. Spotify's DJ requests feature is available now in English for Premium users in more than 60 markets. If you're on the free tier, sadly, DJ still isn't taking your calls. If you need to upgrade, a Spotify Premium subscription starts at $10.99/£10.99 per month.

Spotify's AI DJ Just Got Even More Personal

It is available in over 60 regions for Spotify Premium users. It's rolling out gradually, so make sure your app is up to date. Spotify's AI DJ has proven to be a popular feature of the app. It curates a personalized playlist based on your listening habits and even passes some subtle remarks on it, too. Now, Spotify is taking it up a notch, allowing their AI DJ to take requests in between sessions to change the mood, song, or artists. In their recent blog post, Spotify discussed, "you can now ask the AI DJ to update your personalized listening session based on the music you want to hear at that moment, whether you're looking for something to set the mood for date night or need some high-energy tracks to get you hyped for a party". To use this requests feature, you need to be listening to a Spotify DJ playlist. Here you can press and hold the DJ button to make your request. You could previously use this button to shuffle songs around, but now it does something more useful. You can ask the DJ to change the vibe of the playlist from "fun and party" to "dark and gloomy". This feature is rolling out to all Spotify Premium listeners in over 60 regions where the AI DJ is available. This voice command feature is currently the only means to control your AI playlist. If you haven't received the feature yet, try updating the Spotify app to the latest version. What do you think about this DJ requests feature? Are you going to give it a try? Do you use Spotify's AI DJ often? Let us know in the comments below.