Spotify Unveils AI-Prompted Playlists, Allowing Users to “Steer the Algorithm”
- Martina
- 15 December 2025, Monday
Spotify is introducing “Prompted Playlists,” a new AI-powered feature designed to give listeners more control over the platform’s recommendation algorithm. Currently rolling out in beta for Premium users in New Zealand, the feature should represent another step in Spotify’s broader push towards more interactive and personalized music discovery.
Spotify Expands Its AI Playlist Capabilities
Unveiled in an official statement of Spotify co-President Gustav Söderström, Prompted Playlists build on the platform's existing AI Playlist feature, which launched in Beta last year. Similar to this feature, the new iteration allows users to generate personalized playlists by providing written instructions that explain what they want to hear.
The enhancement lies in the depth and flexibility of those instructions. With Prompted Playlists, users can submit longer, more specific, and nuanced prompts, helping them control the algorithm more effectively. As Spotify showcases, such prompts can look like “high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs for a cool-down,” or “music from this year’s biggest films and most-talked-about TV shows that match my taste.”
Unlike previous AI playlist offerings, the new feature will also consider listeners’ full listening history, not just their recent activity or liked songs. To take advantage of this capability, Spotify recommends writing prompts like “deep cuts I haven’t heard yet” or “music from my top artists from the last five years.” As the platform states, the goal is to capture the “full arc” of users’ musical tastes and deliver recommendations that feel both fresh and familiar.
On top of that, users can either continue refining their prompts or start fresh whenever they want, and schedule how often the playlist refreshes – daily or weekly. In practice, this feature allows users to create highly specific versions of Discover Weekly tailored to particular genres, moods, activities, or time periods.
How Could the Feature Benefit Artists?
Because Prompted Playlists have only just been rolled out in Beta testing (and are currently available exclusively to Premium subscribers in New Zealand), it’s too early to say with certainty how impactful they will be for artists.
That said, it’s already believed that more personalized algorithmic recommendations, driven directly by users’ written requests – aka music wishes and desires – could enhance both music and artist discoverability.
In theory, the system could not only surface or resurface songs the listener might not otherwise consider (or even know about) but also match the right song with the right listener. In this way, Prompted Playlists could connect artists with niche audiences actively seeking specific moods, themes, or activities. As a result, artists may have a higher chance of being discovered by listeners who are more likely to engage deeply with their music – listening to tracks multiple times, exploring their whole catalog, or, in the best case, becoming loyal fans.
Moreover, strong performance in these playlists is likely to further trigger the algorithm. This momentum can lead to inclusion in major algorithmic playlists such as Discover Weekly and Release Radar, significantly broadening an artist's reach.
Engagement generated through Prompted Playlists could also be a valuable data source, helping artists better understand the demographics, behavior, and preferences of their target audience. These insights may, in turn, support artists in refining their promotional strategies, making more informed creative decisions, and tailoring future content to their audience's tastes.
Finally, it is worth noting that more streams may translate into higher earnings. Now, it’s still important to acknowledge that individual streams typically generate small payouts, particularly for independent or emerging artists. However, higher volume and greater consistency in streams could eventually lead to more valuable revenue.
Overall, the feature has the potential to continue to redefine how listeners interact with Spotify's algorithm – and how artists connect with audiences who are actively searching for the kind of music they produce and offer.
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