It’s in SongDNA: Spotify’s ‘in-depth’ test that lets you find out everyone involved
What you need to know
- Spotify is launching a new beta for Premium users worldwide called SongDNA, which takes users across the web for songwriters, collaborators, and more to discover a track.
- SongDNA allows users to discover more music from many creators they may not have known about before, as it aims to complement “About this song.”
- “About This Song” allows users to enter the mind of an artist when creating a particular track, which is a personal experience, unlike SongDNA.
Music discovery and enlightenment continues on Spotify with this new “embedded” exploration that aims to show how your favorite song came to be.
Spotify has shared details about its new beta test rolling out to Premium users worldwide: SongDNA. Subscribers can access SongDNA by unlocking Now Playing > SongDNA Card. This card contains everything about the track you could ever want to know. Spotify says this will include collaborators, music samples, translations (whatever it sounds like), and covers. Songwriters involved in the production process will also be highlighted on the SongDNA card.
Android Central Take
SongDNA sounds scientific. I know that sounds silly, but it’s the production side of creating music. Who are their collaborators, the songwriters involved, and perhaps their involvement with other artists. It’s like falling down a musical rabbit hole that you might want to stay in for a while.
Seeing as Spotify has been at the forefront of music discovery, everything featured on SongDNA can be relatable. The post says, “You can log into any of these creators to find other artists you’ve worked with, and check out those collaborators in turn.” According to Spotify, the goal behind SongDNA is to give artists a way to put their collaboration and influence “front and center.”
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Spotify’s head of songwriters and publishers, Jacqueline Ankner, said SongDNA helps make it “easier for fans to discover new music and see how songs connect and come to life. For that, SongDNA uses the information Spotify gets from its creators, as well as data from the community. This feature is just a test right now, but Spotify has plans to put this in the hands of artists in the future.”
It says SongDNA will transition to allowing “qualified” artists and labels to edit anything on the feature to ensure the right story is being told.
A lot goes into songwriting
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“About this song” returns to the forefront in this update, as Spotify says SongDNA is meant to be compatible with it. The feature started in February as a way for users to learn about an artist’s inspiration for a song and what they think about when creating it. “About This Song” is very personal in that regard, but SongDNA puts a new spin on it. Users will be able to see the other side of that, finding new artists to follow in the process.
Android Central Take
I thought “About This Song” was great when it was first announced. It’s that creative side of music that drew me in. To see what influenced the singer or the story they were trying to tell with that song. It felt personal, as you entered into their thoughts. SongDNA gives users a slightly broader view, as we’ll be able to see who’s involved and everything else they’ve done.
The most recent update in March is “Taste Profile.” Spotify tracks your music preferences, and the Taste Profile shows what it thinks you like best. However, users can control Spotify in this regard by telling their taste profile what they would like to hear more or less of.
