Spotify is a great music app and it’s available for both desktop and mobile. It’s free to download and it has a paid subscription option. However, many people may not know exactly what each plan entails. Let’s look at the difference between the free and paid tiers and what each plan provides.
Free vs Premium
Spotify has been a popular music streaming app for a long time. The free version offers some limited features. However, the Premium version has some eye-catching features.
In addition to offering millions of songs, Spotify offers other cool things like podcasts and videos. It also connects you with your social media accounts. Lastly, you can even create your own radio station.
Spotify Premium allows you to download up to 10k tracks and listen to them on the go. If you have a subscription, you can also enjoy ad-free, offline listening. This is an excellent option, especially if you want to save some of your favorite tunes for when you are out and about.
Compared to Spotify Free, the Premium version has more features and eye-catching graphics. On top of that, it allows you to upload your own mp3 files. You can even monitor your favorite songs at all times. Plus, it has the ad-free experience that you’ve always wanted.
Spotify’s Premium app is available in over 60 countries, making it the best choice for people who are looking for a music subscription service that offers something besides the usual. Aside from that, Spotify is a safe and reputable app to use.
One thing that you can’t do with the free version is to skip tracks. For that, you’ll have to splurge for the premium version.
Fortunately, you can still have fun without paying for the premium service. You can play around with the free version for two weeks and then splurge for the Premium package. Also, you can sign up for the Family plan to give access to up to 6 members.
However, to really have the most fun with your music, you’ll have to shell out for the Premium version.
Algorithm for discovering music
The algorithm for discovering music on Spotify is the underlying technology that keeps the platform running smoothly. It uses natural language processing and collaborative filtering to recommend songs to users based on their preferences.
In short, it looks at a user’s music history, the tempo of a song, and the way it is lyrical. This helps the platform analyze how a song’s ‘vibe’ will appeal to its audience.
For artists who have a dedicated fan base on Spotify, the algorithmic playlists can be a major boost. It is important to remember that algorithms are not the sole decision makers, but they do play a significant role in whose music rises to the top.
To increase your chance of getting noticed by the algorithm, you should promote your song. The best way to do this is to encourage your fans to share your music with their friends. Share it on your social media channels, and send your Spotify link to friends in personal messages. You can also submit it to playlist curators.
When submitting your track, provide as much detail as possible. Providing as much information as you can will make it easier for the algorithm to process and serve it to the right audience.
A pre-save campaign is another great way to help the algorithm decide whether or not your track is worthy of a place on Spotify. This creates a queue of people who will be waiting to hear it once it is released.
Another technique is to include looping videos in your track. This encourages listeners to engage more with the song and to stay on the platform longer.
Getting into the Spotify algorithm’s feed is a crucial step in gaining exposure and growing your career. Artists should make a point to build their fans’ confidence in their work by encouraging them to follow them on Spotify.
Ads interrupt playback
If you are not paying for Premium, you may have experienced the annoyance of ads interrupting your music. In fact, Spotify has received a plethora of complaints online.
There are a number of ways to skip Spotify ads. For starters, you can use a free ad blocker like EZBlocker. You can also try a free Spotify ad muter called Mutify. It automatically mutes your music volume when Spotify ads are playing. Once the ad is over, your volume will be restored.
The best ad format to use on Spotify is the one that demonstrates the most amount of context. Ideally, your audio ad should be clear, uncluttered and easy to understand.
Spotify offers several different ad formats to choose from. Aside from the obvious audio ad, you should also consider video or video ads. These ads can run on your desktop or mobile.
You can also use ad blockers that do not interfere with your music playback. If you have a Mac, you can open a secure incognito window in your browser. This way, you can change your host files to block ads from popping up.
If you don’t have a Mac, you can also download a free ad blocker. You can find samples of host files for blocking Spotify ads in a variety of places on the Internet.
There are also more complex methods to skip Spotify ads. Some require you to modify the file on your computer and some are simple to do. However, if you don’t have the time to mess around with these techniques, there are plenty of other options to get rid of the annoyance.
As with any form of advertising, you’ll need to measure and monitor your ad campaigns to make sure they are working.
Hi-Fi tier has been delayed
It’s been over a year since Spotify first announced its HiFi tier. The service promised CD quality lossless audio streaming. This tier is meant to compete with TIDAL, Apple Music, and Amazon Music HD. However, it is unclear when the service will launch.
Spotify has a history of testing new features. In February of last year, the company announced a HiFi tier. Initially, it was pitched as a $5 to $10 monthly price increase for standard Spotify subscriptions. But as Spotify has continued to struggle with licensing issues, the tier has been pushed back.
The company has been hesitant to give a firm timeline. But it recently updated the community forums to say that the service is “in the future,” which isn’t necessarily a promise.
A few months ago, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek revealed that the company had run into some licensing problems. During a call with investors, he also noted that the company was continuing to work on the feature.
When the company first announced the HiFi tier, it said it would launch in select markets by the end of 2021. Though it has since been delayed, the tier is still live on the website. Users have been waiting to experience it for a long time.
However, as of late, Spotify hasn’t offered much information about the upcoming feature. Even the company’s official blog hasn’t mentioned the HiFi tier in a while.
There have been a few updates to the HiFi tier, including an onboarding video. It appears that the tier is not ready to roll out yet, but a new video hints that it will soon.
Spotify’s HiFi tier is expected to offer a higher bitrate than standard Spotify. This means that the quality of the music you listen to is more important than ever.
Spotify’s stand-by-driver stance on Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan is one of the biggest stars on Spotify. He generates an audience that rivals the Super Bowl. However, his use of racial slurs and misinformation about vaccines have pushed Spotify into a public relations crisis. The tech giant has been forced to change its policies.
It’s a decision that could change the narrative of Spotify. The company has spent a billion dollars buying up podcast studios and licensing shows. In return, it hopes to become a “one stop shop” for music and audio content.
But if it’s going to do this, it must decide whether to fight the comedian’s corner or take the safe road. If it does fight, the backlash could be damaging to the service’s reputation. Alternatively, if it takes the safe road, it could risk losing a few of its musicians.
Some musicians are threatening to quit the service if it doesn’t get rid of Rogan. Neil Young has asked for his music to be removed from the service. Roxane Gay and Brene Brown have also paused their deals.
Hundreds of writers have petitioned Spotify to fact-check some of its podcasts. That would require the company to cut back on the number of shows, and possibly increase its staff.
One of the things that Spotify isn’t doing is responding to a video of Rogan using racial slurs. Instead, it has reached out to him after a PR crisis.
This is a difficult situation for Spotify, but it’s not the only problem. There are other podcasts on the platform that have a problem. Other museums have offended listeners with content that is considered offensive.
In addition to the content guidelines, Spotify will now add a “content advisory” to its podcast episodes. This will direct listeners to a hub containing information about COVID-19. Links to trusted sources are also included.
