Hello and happy Friday! Thanks for reading the latest issue of the Spotify Newsletter.

Spotify announced the new Spanish speaking feature for its DJ mode also known as Xavier or “X” this week.

I have dabbled with the AI feature, but it hasn’t exactly changed my user habits when I’m on the platform. But I can definitely see why Spotify continues to make a big push in the wild and crazy world of AI.

The new DJ is named Livi and Spotify has even given its new DJ a backstory describing her as a “Senior Music Editor at Spotify based out of Mexico City” and “a music expert who has spent her entire career in the music industry.

DJ is an AI generated list of curated songs based on a Spotify user’s listening history. The DJ feature also includes an AI voice introducing and commenting on some of the songs it picks just like a radio DJ would except this DJ plays songs you actually want to hear.

This is all created through the powerful combination of Spotify’s personalization technology, generative AI in the hands of our expert music editors, and a real and relatable AI voice. 

★ SPOTlight

⭐️ Spotify adds a Spanish-speaking AI DJ, 'Livi'

Spotify’s AI DJ feature, an AI guide that introduces personalized song selections, is now available in its first language outside of English.

On Tuesday, Spotify announced the launch of an AI DJ that speaks Spanish, confirming TechCrunch’s earlier reports of the feature under development. Like the original AI DJ “X,” whose voice was based on an existing Spotify employee (Xavier “X” Jernigan), the Spanish-language voice is also based on a real person — in this case, Olivia “Livi” Quiroz Roa, a senior music editor at Spotify who resides in Mexico City.

⭐️ Spotify campaign declares ‘music is the best disease’

Infectious dances are revealed in this spot by Dentsu Creative Italy for Spotify Italy as uninhibited listeners react to music despite the judgey gaze of onlookers.

⭐️ Spotify Fans First: Connecting with Superfans for Exclusive Offers

Spotify’s Fans First program is a way for artists to connect with superfans – or at least, super-listeners – and is designed to point these fans towards special offers, like advance access to tickets, exclusive merchandise, or invite-only events.

The platform has now announced a partnership with Sabrina Carpenter ahead of her upcoming North American tour, and will launch two presale offers that give top listeners exclusive access to specific seating at each show.

⭐️ Sprite leans into AI remixes for music platform’s return

For Sprite Limelight’s return, music fans can create tracks using a common hook via the Soundlabs remix tool available in Coca-Cola’s app.

The initiative, which also includes a Spotify tie-in, is part of Sprite’s global marketing platform, “Heat Happens.” It will be promoted through paid and earned media; influencer partnerships; limited-edition, scannable packaging, out-of-home placements and festival and local market event activations.

🗣 Podcasts

• Spotify is introducing comments to its podcasts. Are music tracks next?

▶️ Playlists

My Spotify Daylist and Blend mixes are way better since I started using this little-known feature

Perhaps my two outright favorite features are Daylist and Blend playlist features. Not only are they a helpful way of discovering new music to listen to, but Blends give you an insight to who your friends are listening to, and my Daylist helps me track what genres and moods I listen to at different times of the day.

🎧 Streams

• Bob Marley’s Highest-Charting US Single Hits 100 Million Milestone On Spotify

• Kendrick Lamar Passes Drake’s Spotify Monthly Listeners Amid “Not Like Us” Surge

🖌 Design

How Does Spotify's Algorithm Analyze your Listening Habits?

Spotify analyzes your data so that you can be provided with songs that match your musical preferences. There are many ways that the algorithm does this and when you break everything down you’ll soon find that it’s a very interesting system.

🧐 Research

Technical Decision-Making in a Fragmented Space: Spotify In-Car Case Study

Car rides have become connected and interactive these days with drivers jamming to music or catching up on podcasts or audiobooks while they’re on the road. A big portion of Spotify listening happens in the car — a key reason why it’s important for Spotify to ensure users have a smooth experience in the car, striking the perfect balance between safety, simplicity, and control.

Achieving such balance is not easy due to various challenges: to maintain interoperability among different Spotify experiences, provide seamless usage on all kinds of screens, and manage drivers’ limited focus.

🎼 Spotify 4 Artists

• Countdown Pages rollout on Spotify for Artists next week - Are you eligible?

• Maximizing Impact of Artists Collaborations on Spotify Recommender Algorithms

💡 Tips & Tricks

• How to see lyrics on Spotify

• You Can Use Spotify Entirely From the Command Line

🔥 News

• Jim Lucchese, Formerly with Spotify, Named Berklee’s Fifth President

• Spotify passes UMG as the world's most valuable music company

• Spotify and early Canva staff join “Canva for Audio”

• Spotify is no longer just a streaming app, it's a social network

• Spotify and Acne Studios Reveal Partnership Info

• Spotify getting into social network game with podcast comments

🎵 New Adventures

Hoist That Rag Tom Waits

When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around The Police

Different Kind of Blue Nick Lowe, Los Straitjackets

Why I Went Missing The Style Council

Gem Beachwood Sparks

Another One Bites The Dust - Remastered 2011 Queen

Camille Ian Fitzgerald

Help Me Hako Yamazaki

God Only Knows - Demo Joe Henry

📧 Get in touch

If you have a question, idea, request for sponsorship info, or simply a desire to chat about Spotify, please email me at jeff.spotifynewsletter@gmail.com.

Platform & Stream The Best Music Streaming News

AI Music Newsletter The Best AI Music News

Playlist Newsletter The business (and fun) of playlists

😀 Have a Nice Weekend!