Data Driven (Music) Discovery

Earlier this month, in my latest piece for The New Yorker, I wrote about Apple’s growing challenges with services were centered on its inability to grok the reality that today, data and algorithms are key part of the user experience. As an example, I cited the growing popularity and effectiveness of Spotify’s Discover Weekly feature.

Today, Spotify shared some numbers that showcase how tiny bits of data and evolving alogrithms can lead to rapid adoption, deep engagement and a satisfying user experience. Discover Weekly, is forbearer of what’s to come. Data will help define the experience in a deeper, more personal way, especially as we start to experience technology through non-obvious user interfaces – from new generation of chatbots to voice-based interactions.

Spotify on its blog notes:

• Discover Weekly has 40 million listeners and nearly five billion tracks have been streamed since it was launched in July 2015.
• More than half of all Discover Weekly listeners come back the following week.
• More than half of all Discover Weekly listeners stream at least 10 tracks from it each week.
• The peak streaming on Mondays occurs at 8:00-9:00 am local time in the U.S. and the U.K.As I contend,

Further Reading: Why Apple Music is so bad when the iPhone is so good (The New Yorker)