Spotify gives free users more control over their music listening
It is not very often that companies give users more for free, but this is exactly what Spotify is doing. Having just recently announced that Premium subscribers are gaining access to lossless audio, Spotify is giving users on its free tier something extra as well.
As part of a major change to its treatment of users who do not pay for a subscription, Spotify now lets free users search for and play any song they want. There is no longer a need to wait for an album or playlist to reach the song you want, or use those valuable skips. Here is what you need to know.
Spotify knows that it is giving people what it wants. The company proudly announces: “You now have more control over how you listen: Search and play any track or jump right into something your friend just shared”.
There are three control related features and options now available to Spotify’s free users. The company cutely refers to them as Pick & Play, Search & Play, and Share & Play, and it marks an important shift in direction.
- Pick & Play Got a nagging earworm? Hit play in the Spotify app, and you can pick and play any song you want.
- Search & Play Type in your favorite track and start listening instantly.
- Share & Play Love sharing your favorite tracks with friends? Has an artist shared a new track on social that you want to hear? Tap to listen right away.
These changes help to address some of the key issues that user complain about when using the free tier of Spotify. But the upgrades for free users do not eliminate the incentives to upgrade to a paid subscription. In a statement to the Verge, Spotify offers a bit more detail:
Only Spotify Premium users have complete control to play and skip music without restrictions. Mobile listeners of the updated free experience will be able to tap on any song or search for what they’d like to play, or if they don’t like a track or simply want to hear what’s next, skip the occasional song and carry on listening. Each user has a daily allocated amount of on-demand time. Once this limit is reached, users will then be limited to six-skips per hour.
The new capability is rolling out globally starting now, but it may take a little while to reach all regions.
Is this announcement enough to make you stick with Spotify rather than the free tiers of other music streaming services? Share your experience of Spotify and alternatives in the comments below. What makes a particular service worth paying for over another?