Spotify tests AI-powered Prompted Playlists that let users control their recommendation algorithm

Spotify tests more personalized, AI-powered 'Prompted Playlists' | TechCrunch

Spotify announced on Wednesday that, for the first time, it's giving users more control over the streaming service's algorithm. That's at least how the company is framing the launch of its new "Promoted Playlists," a feature that will initially be available to Premium subscribers in New Zealand. The feature, which is currently available in English only, is still in beta and will evolve before rolling out to other markets, according to Spotify. The new tool allows users to describe what they want to hear in a personalized playlist that reflects the "full arc" of their tastes, according to the company. That means the playlist focuses not only on the songs you like now, but your entire Spotify listening history from day one -- something that differentiates the feature from other playlists, the company says. The feature is an evolution from Spotify's existing AI playlist option, which debuted last year, and also works through written prompts. As with AI playlists, the new Prompted Playlists allow users to request what they want to hear with written instructions. However, they can now write much longer prompts with more specific instructions. That's because the new AI feature factors in world knowledge, a rep from Spotify explained to TechCrunch. In addition, the ability to go further back in your listening history and schedule how often the playlist refreshes makes it different from Spotify's other AI playlist offerings. For instance, Spotify suggests subscribers can use the new feature to ask for something like, "music from my top artists from the last five years," then amend the prompt to include a request for "deep cuts I haven't heard yet." In another example of a longer prompt, Spotify said you could ask for "high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs for a cool-down" or "music from this year's biggest films and most-talked-about TV shows that match my taste." In addition, you can continue to fine-tune the prompt to make it even more specific, and can set how often you want it to refresh, like daily or weekly. The idea is that users can essentially make their own version of something like Spotify's flagship playlist, Discover Weekly, but one that's focused on a type of music, genre, or time period they'd like to track, or their own version of something like Spotify's genre-focused Daily Mixes. The company says the playlist will include descriptions and context so you know why you're getting the recommendation. Plus, it will offer a set of prompts to help users get started. Spotify isn't the only social app pitching how it's letting users take control of its algorithm. Instagram today also introduced a new feature that lets users control what type of reels they see. Bluesky, a decentralized X competitor, also lets users swap out its algorithm for one of their own.

Spotify's Prompted Playlists use AI to control your algorithm

A new beta feature on Spotify takes the idea behind the Discover Weekly playlist and puts the control in users' hands through AI prompts. Prompted Playlists, which are initially launching in New Zealand on Thursday, let users type out exactly what they want to listen to, with as much or little detail as they like. Then Spotify's AI curates a playlist based on those instructions and the user's listening history. Users can also set Prompted Playlists to regularly refresh with new songs based on the same prompt, effectively allowing you to make a Discover Weekly playlist with an algorithm you control. Earlier this year, Discover Weekly playlists got options to prioritize certain genres, but users can't direct the playlist's algorithm beyond that. Prompted Playlists are part of a broader effort to give users more control on Spotify -- the streamer's AI DJ got a similar update in May that allows users to give it voice prompts. It also mirrors similar moves on other platforms, like Instagram, which recently announced a feature that lets users tell its algorithm what they're interested in.

Spotify Tests an AI Feature That Lets You Control Your Recommendation Algorithm

Spotify is rolling out an AI-powered tool that lets its listeners control how its recommendation algorithm behaves. Called Prompted Playlist, the feature begins rolling out in beta to Premium subscribers in New Zealand this week. You can find the Prompted Playlist option from the Create tab on mobile. Once in, describe the kind of music you'd like to hear in the prompt box with a description as broad or succinct as you'd like it to be. You can even take the help of the "Ideas" button for preset prompts. After you're done, hit Generate Playlist and let Spotify's AI do the rest. To build the playlist, the feature factors in your prompt as well as your entire listening history, "all the way back to day one," Spotify says. Each song on the playlist will have a note below it, describing why it was recommended. The custom playlist "reflects not only what you love today, but the full arc of your taste," Spotify says. While last year's AI Playlist feature does a similar job, Prompted Playlist goes one step further. It remembers your preferences and updates the playlist on a daily or weekly basis. You can choose the frequency and preferred day of the update while providing the prompt. You can also modify the prompt by tapping the "Edit prompt" button at the top of the playlist. "For the first time, your ideas, your logic, and your creativity can actually power the Spotify algorithm, directing how it thinks, adapts, and responds to you," Spotify says. The streamer's own editors and culture experts have placed a set of fun and inventive prompts on the home page. The feature will evolve and scale to more users in the future, the company adds. Instagram also rolled out a similar algorithm-modifying feature this week. A new button on the Reels feed lets you add or remove the topics you'd like to see more or less of. Spotify, meanwhile, is also riding high on the popularity of its year-end recap, Wrapped 2025. It's Listening Age feature, in particular, become part of many online discussions.

Spotify tests a game-changing playlist feature that no other platform offers

Algorithms can't get it right all the time, and as a result, your favorite music streaming platform may play the track you expected the least at that moment. Spotify is no different, though luckily for its users, it offers ways to remove, exclude from your taste profile, and many other tools to make playlists with more precision. Those tools require user input, and some of them even take time to give you the results you want. And now, in addition to those control options, Spotify has a new feature that aims to give you more control over your playlists, where you have more say in what tracks it should or shouldn't include. Spotify starts testing Prompted Playlists In its official blog post, Spotify has announced a new feature called Prompted Playlists, allowing users to describe what they want to listen to by typing a prompt. Spotify's algorithm will still work behind the scenes to find what you want to hear, but now with this new playlist capability, you can better express exactly what you are looking for instead of relying on certain in-app tools. This is different from Spotify's existing AI Playlist in many ways. For example, there is no limit to how broad or specific your prompt can be when you use Prompted Playlists. And that means, as highlighted by Spotify, you can ask for deep cut music from this year's biggest movies and the most talked about TV shows from your top artists. You can edit your prompt and fine-tune it further, and the change will reflect on the playlist. Moreover, the playlist will remain relevant forever if you set Prompted Playlists to refresh daily or weekly. Depending on the option you choose, it will automatically update the playlist with tracks that best match your prompt at the moment. Spotify has used a clever parallel for this: a Discover Weekly exactly the way you want. However, the Prompted Playlists capability is available only as a beta in the Spotify app, so expect to see more improvements in the future. Also, it supports prompting only in the English language for now. The streaming company may add support for more languages when it comes out of beta. This isn't rolling out worldwide right now. The company has confirmed that Spotify users with a Premium subscription in New Zealand will get early access to the Prompted Playlists starting December 11.

Spotify's clever 'Prompted Playlists' use AI to give you more control

One of the most useful parts of any music streaming service is finding new songs via discovery, and that often comes in the form of playlists. Spotify, with the help of AI, is now launching a new "Prompted Playlists" feature that allows users to better control what appears in their playlists. Spotify announced on its website this week that "Prompted Playlists" are rolling out starting December 11 in New Zealand (only for Premium subscribers) ahead of a later wide rollout. The new feature "puts control of the algorithm and the broader Spotify experience directly in your hands." How? Using prompts to AI, Spotify will let you give control over exactly what shows up in a new playlist. So instead of relying on automated systems to create a playlist, you can give a detailed prompt. Spotify explains this perfectly: You could ask for "music from my top artists from the last five years," then push it further with "and feature deep cuts I haven't heard yet." Or you could request "high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs for a cool-down," and layer on something like "include music from this year's biggest films and most-talked-about TV shows that match my taste." You choose how broad or specific you want to go. It sounds really useful, but as mentioned, it's not widely available just yet. Spotify teases that this is the first step towards "a new phase where listeners take the lead and make even more of every minute."

Spotify just launched its most powerful playlist creator yet - here are 3 things you should know about Prompted Playlists

It's rolling out now, but only in New Zealand initially - we don't know when it will come to other regions Spotify has unveiled a new playlist-curation tool which could be one of the smartest features to come from the platform - say hello to Prompted Playlists. Prompted Playlists takes the personal listening experience a step further, putting you in the driver's seat and allowing you to control your algorithm. Using your detailed prompts, it lets you describe what you want to hear, allowing you to make the rules. From there, Spotify curates a playlist and keeps it fresh with regular updates - just like Discover Weekly. In its announcement, co-president Gustav Söderström shared "For the first time, your ideas, your logic, and your creativity can actually power the Spotify algorithm, directing how it thinks, adapts, and responds to you." The new feature expands on the functions of the standard AI playlist tool, and is being rolled out in beta to Premium members in New Zealand. At the moment, we don't know when Prompted Playlists will expand to other regions, but we've reached out to Spotify for more information. But exactly how does it work? Similar to the existing AI playlist tool, Prompted Playlist uses your written prompts to generate a unique playlist, but can cater to longer and more detailed entries. It then uses your entire listening history and 'world knowledge' to generate the playlist, rather than simply predicting what you might want to hear like Discover Weekly. For example, you could enter the prompt 'music from my top artists from the last five years' and then dive deeper by asking 'and feature deep cuts I haven't heard yet'. In one of Spotify's examples, it uses a highly detailed prompt to generate a Kpop discovery playlist to span sub-genres and hidden gems that a user may not have listened to - so there are endless possibilities. You can also edit the prompt at any time, if you want to fine-tune the results. Sounds clever right? There's more. This is where Prompted Playlists truly shine, and where it differs from your standard AI playlist feature. Once you've entered your prompt, you then have the option to select how often your Prompted Playlist updates. You can choose Daily and your playlist will update every day at 6am, or you can select Weekly and decide which day your playlist refreshes. In a way, this lets you create your own Discover Weekly-like playlists where you set the standard. Once you have your fresh Prompted Playlist, each song will come with descriptions and context to explain the 'thinking' behind the recommendations. This is a first-time move for Spotify, which the company touts will make the playlist feel "alive and crafted specifically for your prompt and your taste". Have you ever been confused by your Discover Weekly recommendations? This new tool lets you see exactly why Spotify has suggested certain songs to you. Will you be using Prompted Playlists once it's rolled out everywhere? Or will you stick with your Discover Weekly? Let us know in the comments below.

Spotify's latest feature hands you control of its algorithm

Prompted Playlist lets you specify exactly what you want to hear. If you've ever felt frustrated by Spotify's algorithm recommending songs that don't match your taste, there's some good news. The streaming giant is finally giving you a way to take control of its algorithm. The company is testing a new feature called Prompted Playlists, which lets "you describe exactly what you want to hear and set the rules for your personalized playlist." Spotify says this new feature taps into your entire listening history, all the way back to when you first started using the service, to curate a personalized playlist based on your prompt and listening patterns. This is a significant shift away from auto-generated Spotify playlists, like Discover Weekly, which rely on the service's algorithm to guess what you might like. Recommended Videos The Prompted Playlist feature builds upon Spotify's existing AI playlist option and supports larger, more complex prompts that let users give more specific instructions. It also allows for iteration, meaning that if you don't like the first playlist, you can refine your prompt and generate a new version, helping the algorithm better understand your preferences. Spotify added that the playlist will include detailed descriptions, giving listeners context for why the algorithm recommended the included tracks. To help users get started, the platform will also provide some sample prompts. Currently, Spotify is testing Prompted Playlists with Premium subscribers in New Zealand. It's still in beta and is only available in English for now, but the music streaming service is expected to expand availability and add support for more languages by the time the feature is ready for a wider release. For listeners, the Prompted Playlist could fundamentally change how they discover new music on Spotify. Instead of relying on the algorithm to predict what they like, the feature will let them actively shape their playlist and make discovery more intentional. Over time, this could make playlists feel less random and more like a reflection of each listener's personal taste.

Spotify Now Gives Users Even More Control of their Playlists via Manual Prompts - Phandroid

Not too long after Instagram announced a new way to give users more control of their content algorithm, Spotify also announced the launch of "Prompted Playlists," which changes how users can customize suggested content by using text descriptions. The feature will arrive first for Premium subscribers in New Zealand, and will let users type specific requests to generate custom playlists that blend their own input and entire listening history. Instead of relying solely on passive recommendations, users can now factor in suggestions like "high-energy pop for a 30-minute run" or "deep cuts from my top artists," and the app will curate a mix that matches their criteria. Spotify says that this feature marks a significant shift from its traditional approach, moving from predicting what you want to hear to listening to exactly what you say. The system also lets users edit their prompts to fine-tune the vibe or set the playlist to automatically refresh daily or weekly so it stays current. To make the experience more transparent, Spotify will also provide context for why specific songs were chosen, in a bid to "bridge the gap" between human intent and AI curation. While currently limited to the beta test in New Zealand, the company plans to continue working on the feature based on user feedback.

Spotify's New Feature Grants You More Control Over the Algorithm

Spotify will also offer preset prompts as personalised Home-page playlist Spotify on Wednesday announced a new feature that provides users with more control over the streaming service's algorithm. Dubbed Prompted Playlist, it is currently rolling out in beta to select global markets. As per the company, users can describe what they want to hear and set rules for the personalised playlists. Prompted Playlist is claimed to tap into the user's Spotify listening history from day one, and they can fine-tune the results by editing the prompt, or begin again with a new one. Prompted Playlist on Spotify With Spotify's Prompted Playlist feature, listeners can simply describe what they wish to hear, and it will analyse the user's listening history to curate a playlist based on their taste, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). For example, they can ask for "music from my top artists from the last five years," and Spotify will generate a playlist, according to the music streaming service's newsroom post. Listeners can also fine-tune the playlist with further prompts like "and feature deep cuts I haven't heard yet" or "include music from this year's biggest films and most-talked-about TV shows that match my taste". There are preset prompts and English language algorithms, too, which will appear as personalised playlists on the Home page of the app. Prompted Playlist is said to be an evolved version of the AI playlist feature, which was introduced in 2024. According to TechCrunch, what's different here is that listeners can provide longer prompts with more specific instructions. It also reportedly leverages world knowledge to refine the AI-made playlists. Spotify said that Prompted Playlist also refreshes the playlist periodically, based on the updated listening patterns and world knowledge. Alternatively, listeners can also set it to refresh daily or weekly for a fresher listening experience. For each song, Spotify will also include a description and context as a reason for the recommendation. The company said that Prompted Playlist is currently in beta and available only in New Zealand in the English language. It will evolve before eventually making its way to other markets.