Spotify's AI-powered DJ now takes song requests
Since it launched two years ago, Spotify's AI DJ has been a one-way experience. It curates old favorites and helps listeners discover new tracks based on past listening experience and what similar users like. But now it's getting interactive.
Spotify unveiled the ability to request songs from the DJ based on mood, genre, and vibe. The feature, which launched across 60 markets, is exclusive to Spotify Premium users, who can access the DJ by searching for the tool in the app.
It's the latest AI feature to come from Spotify, which introduced an AI-generated playlist builder for Premium users in the United States last fall. But Molly Holder, Spotify's senior director of product for personalization, says that tool was designed for people who want to take an active role in their listening experience. The new DJ request feature, by contrast, is designed to give users more input into an essentially 'lean back' experience.
'We know that even in a 'lean back' moment, users still want some semblance of control,' she says.
How does the DJ request feature work?
After a user searches for and calls up the DJ in the app, they can make a request by holding down the DJ icon and speaking a prompt. (The feature requires microphone access.) After receiving the prompt, such as 'upbeat songs for running' or 'ambient for a rainy day,' the DJ will 'think' for a bit before launching into a tailored playlist.
Focusing on mood or moment along with a genre tends to be the best approach for using the feature. Wanting to give it a slam dunk, I asked for 'early 2000s patriotic country' and immediately got Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.' Not too hard. But when I asked for 'undiscovered African gems for a summer barbecue,' expecting Afrobeats and Amapiano, the DJ instead served songs from the African diaspora. (The first was by Timbuktu, who Spotify describes as 'one of Sweden's most well-known hip-hop artists.') Once I specified the genre, the results were better, but I'd forgotten to make clear I wanted undiscovered artists, so I got a lot of Tyla.
With several of the requests, the DJ seemed somewhat buggy, abruptly stopping a song and launching into its more default mode. When I asked for 'DIY indie rock from the mid-2010s,' it played a few bars from an early Mitski song, then reset itself and introduced my top songs from 2023.
Pairing insight with a human touch
Spotify's Holder says that while the DJ's content-surfacing abilities are powered by AI, many of the comments and insights that it delivers in between songs—the bits that make the tool feel like a personalized and expert experience—are powered by humans.
'We have music experts and editors who have built what's called the 'writer's room' for the DJ product,' she says. 'These folks come together with generative AI to build the commentary that DJ offers throughout the experience.'
This commentary can increase listener engagement—which can be beneficial for artists who are trying to break through as well. 'In that writer's room, when we build that commentary, it helps to bring artists' stories to life to bring a little bit more context to the content we're recommending,' Holder says. 'One thing we see is that users who hear commentary about a track in the DJ experience are more likely to listen to a track they might have otherwise skipped.'
Holder also positions the new feature in Spotify's long history of using machine learning to build personalization into the user experience, from Discovery Weekly to Daylists and now the DJ requests. 'We're really applying AI strategically across our product portfolio in ways that enhance the value proposition of our products.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Boston Globe
A Sikh Captain America? Why religious diversity matters in the comics universe.
Representation of non-Abrahamic religions and spiritual traditions, particularly in the mainstream comics universe, is minimal. Even when they are portrayed in comics, their presentation, as Singh and others in the field point out, is often inauthentic and sometimes negative. Recently, however, comic book writers and academics who study the intersection of religion and comics observe a renaissance of sorts, which they say is happening because people close to these faith traditions are telling these stories with a reverence and sincerity that resonate with a wider audience. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Singh's journey to make that connection began after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, triggered anti-Sikh hate incidents. Having faced hate and exclusion throughout his life, he decided to spread his message of kindness and inclusion by capitalizing on the appeal of comics and superheroes — an area where he found Sikh representation to be 'virtually zero.' Advertisement He suited up as Captain Sikh America in Manhattan for the first time in summer 2013 — one year after a self-proclaimed white supremacist opened fire inside a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six and injuring four others. Advertisement New York's reaction to Captain Sikh America was joyous. 'Strangers came up and hugged me,' Singh said. 'Police officers wanted photos with me. A couple wanted me to be part of their wedding ceremony. I felt I had a certain privilege I'd never had before.' In 2016, Singh gave up his full-time job to travel around the country to schools, government agencies and corporations to share his story and educate youth about his culture and faith. He doesn't speak directly about religion but rather the core values of Sikhism. 'I talk about equality, justice and about the universal light being present in every speck of creation,' he said. Marvel's Black Panther heralded better representation for Africana religions in the U.S., according to Yvonne Chireau, a professor of religion at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. However what is seen in Black Panther or other comics is a synthesis of different African religions and cultural practices, she said. For example, one page might talk about the Orishas, divine spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba faith of West Africa, while another might feature Egyptian gods. One of the first superheroes with African religious roots, Chireau said, was Brother Voodoo, created in the 1970s by Marvel publisher Stan Lee, writer Len Wein and artist John Romita. He was the first Haitian superhero. The turn of the last century was a time of revival for Black-centric comics, she said, adding that immigration from African and Caribbean countries, including Haiti, led to increased understanding of religious practices originating in those places. 'It's definitely gotten a lot better and much more authentic because the people who are telling these stories care about those religious practices,' she said. Advertisement Brooklyn-born Haitian American comic book writer Greg Anderson Elysée said he didn't learn about African and Caribbean religious traditions until he was a teenager. Elysée was raised Catholic, but he now considers himself agnostic. For the past decade, he's written comics about Is'nana, the son of Anansi the Spider, the god of wisdom, knowledge and mischief in the Akan religion of West Africa. What drives his vision and his creativity, Elysée said, is the need to see more Black mythology, deities and spirituality showcased with the same level of respect as European fairy tales and Greek mythology. 'When I went looking for anything on African spirituality in the bookstore, I found it in the occult section as opposed to the religion or mythology section,' he said. Common depictions of African faith as voodoo and witchcraft are colonialist narratives aimed at demonizing Indigenous spiritual practices, he added. 'When I started going to ceremonies and rituals, I saw how much power there is in it. When we know who we are — whether you believe in the religion or not — it fills you with joy, a purpose and a sense of being.' Elysée is excited and relieved by the reaction to his work. 'While this is entertainment, you also don't want to offend those who believe in it and truly get so much power from it,' he said. 'Some of my portrayals of these religions in my comics may not be 100% authentic, but there is a level of research and respect that goes into every piece of it.' Zen Buddhism has informed much of John Porcellino's work. For over three decades, he has produced and self-published King-Cat Comics and Stories, a largely autobiographical mini-comic series. Porcellino was drawn to Buddhism in his 20s after what he describes as a period of intense mental suffering and health problems. Advertisement As a punk rock fan, Porcellino saw commonalities between punk and Zen because 'they are both concerned with the essence of things rather than appearances.' Both are ways of life — simple yet nuanced. He gave the example of a wordless story titled 'October,' featured in King-Cat's 30th issue, that shows him as a high school student walking home one night from school. When he gets home, his mom asks him to take the dog outside; as he steps out, he sees the stars. 'It's the experience of being in everyday, mundane life ... and then suddenly breaking through to some kind of transcendence,' he said. Porcellino views these comics as a healing presence in his life. 'They are an important part of my spiritual practice,' he said. 'Any time I have a major crisis in my life, my first reaction is to sit down and start making comics and put my focus into that. It just helps ground me.' Teresa Robeson, who wrote a graphic novel about the 14th Dalai Lama, said that even though her mother was Catholic and raised her in the faith, her grandmother was Buddhist. She grew up in Hong Kong, with memories of relatives praying to Buddhist gods, taking in the fragrance of burning incense and the sound of Buddhist chants. Though she practices neither Catholicism nor Buddhism at this time, Robeson jumped at the opportunity to tell the story of the Dalai Lama in graphic novel form because the book focused on a pivotal moment in the spiritual leader's life, when he fled Tibet for India after the Chinese occupation. Advertisement Robeson liked the idea of representing a religion and culture that do not get much attention in media. 'Children's books are like mirrors and windows for kids,' she said. 'It's helpful especially for children of immigrants who don't often see themselves in mainstream literature. They don't see anyone who looks like them or prays like them. At the same time, it also helps kids who are not Asian or Buddhist to learn something about those communities.' Amar Chitra Katha was a comic book company started by the late Anant Pai in Mumbai in 1967 as a way to teach Indian children about their own mythology and culture. The first title was 'Krishna,' an important god in Hinduism and protagonist of the Bhagavad Gita, one of the religion's main sacred texts. Pai was an engineer turned comic books seller who used varied marketing techniques, including walking around with planks, nails and hammers in his bag so he could build shelves for bookstores that refused to display his comics because they lacked shelf space, said Reena I. Puri, the company's executive editor and a 35-year veteran of the business. Pai started with Hindu mythology and gods but soon expanded to other faiths, releasing a globally successful comic titled 'Jesus Christ' and others about Buddha, Sikh gurus and Mahavira, who founded Jainism. Later came secular comics about historical figures and folktales. But religion remains the mainstay of Amar Chitra Katha, and books that teach children about faith, history and culture are also the most popular in the diaspora, Puri said. Advertisement 'Most recently we've also portrayed (Indigenous) religions and have gathered folktales relating to these traditions from all over India,' she said. Amar Chitra Katha comics faced criticism in the past for their portrayal of gods as fair-skinned and 'asuras' — often the antagonists to the gods — as dark-skinned with demonic facial features. But that has changed, Puri said. 'We've educated ourselves and realized that our ancient texts were not as racist or colorist as we may be today,' she said. 'We're correcting those misconceptions now.' British comic book writer Mike Carey is known for his 2000-2006 DC Comics series 'Lucifer,' which depicts the titular character's adventures on Earth, in Heaven and in various realms after abandoning Hell. Carey counts himself an atheist who went to Sunday school only 'for the fun, stories and chocolate.' Carey portrayed Lucifer as the 'son of God, but as a rebellious disobedient son who wants to find himself as distinct from his father.' He has also explored pagan themes, particularly what he called the 'weird interface between British folklore and British religious traditions.' Carey delved into the concepts of faith, God and morality in a series titled 'My Faith in Frankie,' which tells the story of a teenager with a personal god called Jeriven who gets jealous of her boyfriend. Even though many of his comics and novels explore religion and ethics, Carey said, he has never 'felt any temptation whatsoever to believe.' 'I've become more and more entrenched in that position, because organized religions are like any organization that sustain themselves, amass power, wealth and authority,' he said. 'So I've never really grappled with religious issues. What I do sometimes is explore, play with and tease out moral issues that were important and meaningful to me.' ___
New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
Why the Talking Heads are still making more sense than ever 50 years later
Fifty years ago this month, three clean-cut art-school students who called themselves Talking Heads played an audition night at the Bowery club CBGB. Different from the other newly minted punk bands putting the New York City hole-in-the-wall on the map, frontman David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth, and drummer Chris Frantz looked and sounded like no one else. The skittish, hollow-eyed singer accompanied his strange, keening vocals and obtuse lyrics with hyper-rhythmic guitarwork, while the petite blond bassist (a rare mid-'70s axe-wielding female) and robust mop-top drummer held down the propulsive groove. Their catchy 'Psycho Killer' — with its sing-along chorus — immediately caught the attention of club owner Hilly Kristal, who booked them for a series of dates, including opening for the Ramones. 7 Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, and Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, which this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding. Getty Images for BAM Later adding keyboardist/guitarist (and Harvard grad) Jerry Harrison, the band would become 'the most original, musically ambitious, and rigorously creative rock group of their time,' writes Jonathan Gould in his riveting new biography, 'Burning Down the House: Talking Heads and the New York Scene That Transformed Rock' (out June 16). The book deftly interrelates New York City's cultural, social, and economic history (from its bankruptcy and the downtown art scene to Son of Sam and the '80s boom) as the band evolves into an expanded group of both African-American and white musicians, ambitiously exploring ever-more innovative sounds. A former professional drummer and the author of well-received biographies of the Beatles and Otis Redding, Gould says that 'having grown up in New York, a big part of my attraction to the subject involved the chance to write about the change in the city's social life and geography over the past fifty years.' He focused on Talking Heads, he relates, because 'having written books about the archetype of a rock group and the archetype of a soul singer that together comprised an extended exploration of the centrality of race in Anglo-American popular music, I wanted to tell the story of a second-generation rock group's engagement with Black music — as dramatized by David Byrne.' 7 Frontman David Byrne lives with Asperger's Syndrome, which has heavily influenced his musical delivery. ©Island Alive Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 7 Talking Heads: Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, and David Byrne in an undated picture. ©Island Alive Pictures / Everett Collection Gould calls the Scottish-born, suburban Maryland-raised Byrne 'one of the 'whitest' men ever to front a rock group, but who transformed himself over the course of his career into a singer, musician, and performer embodying many of the most kinetic qualities of Black music while still maintaining an unequivocally 'white' identity.' From reinterpreting Al Green's 'Take Me to the River' to diving into the music of Africa and Latin America, Talking Heads released eight studio albums between 1977 and 1988. The group reunited once in 2002 to perform at their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. More recently, the band reconvened for a public discussion at the Toronto Film Fest and with Stephen Colbert to celebrate the re-release of 'Stop Making Sense,' their seminal 1984 concert doc. 7 'Stop Making Sense,' the Talking Heads' seminal 1984 film, was rereleased last year for its 40th anniversary. Courtesy Everett Collection 7 Byrne in a scene from 'Stop Making Sense.' He was crucial in helping to refine and define the band's embrace of African-American musical traditions. ©Cinecom Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection In 'Burning Down the House,' Gould explores how Byrne's Asperger's syndrome affected his relationships, as well as how it 'exerted a strong influence on his creative sensibility, beginning with his tendency to approach most aspects of music-making without the sort of preconceptions that most of us accept as a way of trying to show other people that we know what we're doing.' Gould adds, 'David's Asperger's also contributed to his remarkable powers of concentration and observation, in part because people on the spectrum learn to pay very close attention to things as a way of navigating an unfamiliar and sometimes incomprehensible world. At the same time, I think it's important to put this in context. David's Asperger's was one of many influences on an artist who sought out and absorbed influences like a sponge. It was not the be-all-and-end-all of his personality or of his creative sensibility.' 7 'Talking Heads and the New York Scene That Transformed Rock' is written by Jonathan Gould. 7 Author Jonathan Gould finished the project even more of a fan of their music than when he began his book some five years ago. Richard Edelman In a gripping narrative, Gould traces Talking Heads' journey from their hometowns to their art schools, Chrystie Street loft, and eventual global stardom. He sharply analyzes their work and includes rich portraits of individuals, art movements, and music scenes in their orbit. While Gould interviewed the band's longtime friends and colleagues, all four declined to speak with him. 'Though I was initially disappointed that they chose not to cooperate with my research,' he says, 'I've come to regard it as a blessing in disguise. I have the feeling that not speaking with them insulated me enough from their conflicting personal narratives to enable me to gain perspective on the formation and musical evolution of the band.' Gould finished the project even more of a fan of their music than when he began his book some five years ago. 'Initially, I was drawn most strongly to the trio of albums — Fear of Music, Remain in Light, and Speaking in Tongues — that had the greatest ambition and intensity,' he relates. 'As a drummer, I have a great appreciation of Chris's playing, beginning with his steadiness and solidity. And I consider David to be a genius — a word I don't use lightly — on account of the utterly distinctive nature of his singing, guitar playing, and songwriting. Simply put, I can't think of anyone else in popular music who sounds like him or writes like him.'
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Forbes
Toby Keith's Music Surges On The Billboard Charts
Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits climbs again on Billboard charts, jumping to No. 12 on Top Country ... More Albums and No. 54 on the Billboard 200. NORMAN, OK - JULY 06: Musician Toby Keith performs during the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert to benefit United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Norman, Oklahoma. To donate go to or text REBUILD to 52000. (Photo byfor Shock Ink) In the nearly year and a half since Toby Keith passed away, the country superstar has maintained a steady presence on the Billboard charts. He lives on through his work, with countless fans across the United States continuing to buy and stream the music he left behind. Much of that attention has centered around one compilation that gathers many of his most popular tunes, 35 Biggest Hits. That project is once again climbing the rankings in the country superstar's home nation. This frame, 35 Biggest Hits appears on two charts in the U.S., and it surges on both as consumption grows. On the Top Country Albums chart, the compilation nearly reenters the top 10, jumping from No. 21 to No. 12. At the same time, 35 Biggest Hits nearly halves its position on the Billboard 200 — which takes into account all genres — soaring from No. 103 to No. 54. According to Luminate, in the past tracking period across America, 35 Biggest Hits shifted just over 14,500 equivalent album units, between sales and streaming activity. That's up more than 21% from the previous frame, when it moved just 12,000. A gain of nearly 2,500 units – even when spread between actual purchases and streaming activity – for any title is notable, and especially so when it's a set that's already been out in the world for well over a decade. The compilation, which features dozens of Keith's most beloved tracks, has already reached No. 1 on both Billboard rankings it currently inhabits. It only climbed to the top spot on the Billboard 200 following Keith's passing, as Americans rushed to revisit his music and celebrate his legacy. In doing so, fans made Keith one of a select few artists to earn a posthumous chart-topper on that tally. Several recent events have reignited interest in Keith's catalog. Country musician Riley Green's cover of 'Should've Been a Cowboy" has gone slightly viral, and it continues to rack up views, reminding people of how much they love Keith's song. A horse once owned by Keith also raced in this year's Kentucky Derby, and it made headlines only due to the musician's popularity. Blake Shelton recently revealed while promoting his new album that he originally recorded 'I Wanna Talk About Me' but never released it. Ultimately, the tune became a smash for the late country great.
