Spotify is testing new time-specific playlist recommendations

The new interface now shows six lists side by side. The daily mixes are created based on the users’ listening habits and recommendations are headed under a greeting that is based on the time of day.

The interface shows users more playlists that they may like as it takes into consideration user activity at a certain time.

Other differences can be noted: the old playlist recommendations interface displayed seven to nine lists and could be scrolled horizontally, whereas the latest version can show up to 12 recommendations next to each other.

But Digital Music News has reported that some users dislike the change. On the new interface, playlists do not display a preview of the artists featured in it unless opened. Some users have also reported that the time-based greetings tend to get stuck at the wrong time of day.

There were also some glitches noted such as duplication of the playlists recommended on the platform.

The new interface is still in its testing phase and is limited to a few users; some users on the latest alpha release for Spotify can see it while others can’t. The music streaming platform may be testing a specific audience for now and if successful the new interface may be rolled out to all users.

Spotify has been pushing curated playlists and exclusive podcasts for some time, and it is constantly adding new playlist features to its platform in the hope of attracting new listeners.

The company prides itself on its algorithm-based playlist recommendations, a feature that has garnered mixed reactions from users who often see music they don’t necessarily like. It remains to be seen if Spotify will be able to provide more accurate recommendations to its users through the new time-based interface.