Streaming platforms offer so many features that it can sometimes be challenging to understand how to use them. Fortunately, Soundiiz is here to enlighten you and show you why they are crucial to your daily use of streaming services. What is Spotify DJ, and how do I use it?
We’ll tell you all about it!
What is Spotify DJ?
Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, it’s easy to imagine the scene: a meeting of Spotify executives devoted to developing new technologies to be added to the application. The subject of Artificial Intelligence comes up. Then that of Playlists. There is a need, too, to continually improve the algorithm and offer an ever more personalized experience to Spotify’s one million users. The desire to make the listening experience seamless and the realization that many music lovers want to be guided. Playlists have become one of the preferred means of consuming music, and listeners wanting to discover something new in an infinite mass of new songs led to a conclusion after many months of work: Spotify DJ.
The idea is for a virtual DJ to suggest a selection of songs based on your listening habits, preferences, and what you’ve already enjoyed. It’s a mix of discoveries and songs already added to some of your playlists, all driven by Spotify’s Artificial Intelligence. Spotify DJ also includes the latest trends and hits of the moment to create a balance between new and older songs.
Nothing new?
So far, so different from the multitude of algorithmic playlists offered by Spotify, you might think. That’s partly true.
The twist of Spotify DJ is, first and foremost, that it creates a continuous stream of music mixed harmoniously and seamlessly, just like songs played by authentic DJs. No need to select specific playlists: when you launch Spotify DJ, you don’t have to worry about a thing – the songs just come to you. Another differentiating feature is that Spotify uses artificial intelligence to model the voice of a DJ, making comments between some of the songs! This voice is that of Spotify employees, modeled to suit your songs. It’s like being at a party while lying on your sofa or in your car.
On its website, a few days after the release of the first BETA version, Spotify put forward the following statistics:
“On days when users tune in, fans spend 25% of their listening time with DJ, and they keep coming back for more, with more than half of first-time listeners coming back to listen to DJ the very next day”
What is Spotify DJ, and where is it available?
That’s where the problem lies. Launched in February 2023, Spotify DJ was only available as a Beta version in Canada and the USA. Then, big news: in August 2023, the feature was extended to some 50 countries, including areas in Africa and Asia. In July 2024, a new wave of arrivals. Spain and Latin America can now enjoy Spotify DJ services. Covering many territories, but not all. Currently, one of the biggest markets remains untouched, mainly in Europe. No information has yet been leaked about the arrival of Spotify DJ on the continent, apart from Spain and Sweden, which are already concerned.
Spotify’s European customers can be mad. But don’t worry: there’s no reason for Europe to be left behind for too long! Soundiiz will, of course, keep you informed of progress.
Our two cents
We thought Spotify DJ would duplicate our playlist-listening habits. What’s the point of launching a new feature when Spotify’s algorithmic playlists are already acclaimed as having the best recommendation system on the market? Using Spotify DJ has proved us wrong.
As we said in the first section of this article, one of this feature’s advantages and differentiating points is that it does all the work without you having to lift a finger. It only takes a few seconds. If you live in one of the countries covered by the roll-out, all you have to do is launch the service and let yourself be guided. It is designed to make your music listening experience more enjoyable and effortless.
Tailored to your needs
Moreover, the DJ whose voice appears occasionally doesn’t just provide musical transitions as a “regular DJ” might. He sometimes gives context to certain songs or artists and background information on what you’re listening to—a bit like a radio presenter, in fact—so you can learn more about your favorite songs and artists effortlessly. At Soundiiz, we appreciate this feature as music fans passionate about all the stories associated with songs and bands. It’s like having a music lesson while you listen.
Especially as it’s becoming increasingly rare in a world dominated by algorithms, where music journalists are becoming an endangered species; on a negative note, we would have liked this information to have been given by a human being and not by an AI-generated voice. But for that, we still have radio!
After reading a lot of feedback from Spotify DJ users, we also found that some complained that their DJ wasn’t introducing them to enough new songs. You’d have to turn to Spotify’s more traditional algorithmic playlists for new music recommendations. To Spotify’s credit, their Spotify DJ isn’t a tool for discovering new songs and artists. Instead, it’s a way of changing your listening perspective while benefiting from additional information.
Spotify DJ: where to find it?
It’s effortless: open your Spotify application. On the home page, click ‘Music’ at the top of your application. After a little scrolling, a blue ‘Spotify DJ’ card should appear. Click on it to start using Spotify DJ.
Please note: You need to download the latest version of Spotify and be in a geographical area where the feature is available. If you don’t see anything appear, please be patient. Spotify should make Spotify DJ available in your country shortly if all goes well. This reassurance lets you know you won’t be left out of this exciting new feature for long.
How can Soundiiz complement your use of Spotify DJ?
Spotify isn’t the only service that generates playlists via artificial intelligence. At Soundiiz, we’ve developed an AI-powered playlist generator. This tool can be a great complement to your use of Spotify DJ. While years of experience and development work went into its design, we wanted to make it as easy to use as possible.
After accessing the tool, you can enter parameters according to several criteria. Either by entering text describing what you want to listen to. You can add tags, such as musical genre, moods, and decade. Once you’ve entered these parameters, Soundiiz’s AI will generate a list of songs based on these criteria. But it’s also possible to create lists of albums or artists, not just songs! You can then add these playlists to your favorite streaming service: Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, Deezer, YouTube Music… All platforms are compatible.
The bonus? You can activate synchronization. This means that your playlist will be renewed as often as you like and automatically added to the platform of your choice.
When we say we’re trying to make your streaming experience as complete as possible, we’re not lying to you, are we?
To test Soundiiz’s AI and all our other services, click here.
