Spotify Launches Playlist Notes, Letting Editors Explain Their Picks to Listeners
- Martina
- 23 September 2026, Wednesday
Spotify’s playlists are getting a more personal touch! Last month, the streaming platform introduced Playlist Notes, allowing playlist editors to add little notes and context to individual tracks on playlists they curate.
Playlist Notes: A New Personal Touch to Editors’ and Users’ Playlists
According to Spotify, it’s all about making playlists more personal – for listeners and playlist curators alike. As the streaming company explains, “A great playlist does more than line up songs: it sets a mood, reflects a point of view, tells a story.”
The idea behind Playlist Notes is simple. The feature allows curators to include a note alongside individual tracks they decide to give a spot to in a playlist. They can use these notes to explain why the track matters, what makes it culturally relevant, or why they believe it belongs in that particular playlist.
Alongside Playlist Notes, Spotify has also launched Editor Profiles, another straightforward feature designed to put the people behind its editorial playlists more in the spotlight. Each profile features an editor’s top tracks and albums, as well as a list of other playlists they contribute to, giving listeners more insight into the curators and their work.
The editor-focused Playlist Notes were preceded by a listener-facing version of the feature, initially launched under the name User Notes at the end of July this year. As Spotify noted, “our editors aren’t the only ones with stories to tell.” The company has since brought both versions under the Playlist Notes name.
The functionality is essentially the same. Available on mobile, Spotify users can add their own notes to tracks, podcast episodes, and audiobooks they’ve added to their playlists. The idea is to let listeners “capture a memory, share a recommendation, or explain why a pick made the cut.”
The notes are visible to anyone who can view the playlist, with the author’s name linking to their Spotify profile.
How Can Playlist Notes Benefit Artists and Curators?
For artists, Playlist Notes can offer more insight into the people behind some of Spotify’s editorial playlists and the reasoning behind their selections. When editors explain why a particular track made the cut, they can also give artists and listeners a better sense of what resonates with them and why.
iMusician’s Playlist Manager also welcomes Spotify’s move to give curators more space to share the stories and ideas behind their selections.
“Spotify’s new Playlist Notes feature answers a need the industry has felt for a while. As faster production tools and AI push more music onto platforms every day, curated playlists have grown beyond simple discovery tools. Editorial curators are tastemakers, and their playlists can often be where new talent gets discovered first,” she says.
For her, giving curators the opportunity to add context around a track could be exactly the kind of additional value the platform needs, making the thought or emotion behind a selection more visible. Playlist Notes, she explains, could turn a playlist into a stronger bridge between listeners and industry voices.
She sees particular potential for playlists focused on up-and-coming and indie musicians. “At iMusician, we see this especially with playlists supporting emerging and independent artists. We curate more than 15 playlists across genres, communities, and local scenes, with artists and labels constantly selecting new names they believe in.”
“On iMusician Picks specifically, where every track comes from artists and labels we distribute, Playlist Notes* could give our curators another way to spotlight the stories behind the talent we work with,” she adds.
*Editor’s note: This refers to the user-facing version of Playlist Notes. The editor-facing version is currently available only to Spotify’s own playlist editors.
Where Are Spotify Playlist Notes and Editor Profiles Available?
Since the announcement, editors’ Playlist Notes and Profiles have been rolling out to Free and Premium users aged 16+ in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. At launch, the feature was available on six editorial playlists: Today’s Top Hits, RapCaviar, Hot Country, All New Pop, mint, and Fresh Finds Hip-Hop.
To explore an editor’s notes, users can tap Notes at the top of a participating playlist. Tapping an editor’s name alongside a specific note or at the top of the playlist will then take them to the editor’s profile. Notably, users can also see notes in Now Playing, even when listening to a song outside the playlist where the note was originally added.
Meanwhile, the listener version of Playlist Notes has expanded since its initial launch and is rolling out on iOS and Android in more than 100 markets. Its availability may differ from editors’ Playlist Notes.
How to Add a Playlist Note as a Spotify User
Open a playlist you own or are a collaborator on.
Tap the three dots (...) next to a track, podcast episode, or audiobook you’ve added to the playlist.
Select Add note.
Enter your note and tap Save.
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Martina is a Berlin-based music writer and digital content specialist. She started playing the violin at age six and spent ten years immersed in classical music. Today, she writes about all things music, with a particular interest in the complexities of the music business, streaming, and artist fairness.
