Spotify revealed a new feature for its users: custom playlist cover art. Filled with brat summer energy, the music streaming service update finally makes playlists even more unique. Rolling out in beta to Spotify listeners in English in 65 markets, the company brings collage instead of an AI tool for a platform that heavily relies on algorithms.
“At Spotify, we know our users like to flex their creativity. (…) Now we’re giving music fans the power to design and customize their own playlist cover art so their playlists can always look as good as they sound,” says the company in a blog post.
Available for free and premium users, they can create their own cover art with unique images, colors, text effects, graphic elements, and more.
Whether you’re on iOS or Android, head to the Spotify mobile app (make sure it’s up to date) and select a playlist that you personally created or create a new one.
- Tap the three-dot menu on the playlist page and then select “Create cover art” within the menu options.
- From there, you can upload an original photo of your own and add or update a variety of elements, including:
- Text styles, colors, and effects featuring our custom typeface, Spotify Mix.
- Background colors and gradients.
- Image masking and visual effects.
- Once complete, your playlist will be updated with your new cover art, and you can share your creation directly with friends or on social media platforms.
Spotify warns that you can only save one custom cover art per playlist at a time, and each new cover you create will override the previous one for that specific playlist.
To inspire users – and I wish Apple Music had this level of customization or integration with artists – Spotify partnered with music artists, visual creators, and artists behind some of the world’s most iconic album art to “empower listeners to unlock a new level of creativity and individuality.”
Music artists include Clairo, Jamie xx, and Arlo Parks. On the visual creator front, Spotify tapped Pablo Rochat, Jesse Nyberg, Vita Kari, and Elliot Ulm.
Wrap up
As a day-one Apple Music user, I know the service has improved its social features. However, Spotify is still king when it comes to algorithms, popularity, and creativity. Apple Music offers the ability to customize a playlist cover for ages—and it even gives you some pre-made options. Still, it’s nowhere near close to competing with Spotify.
Maybe I should switch again to see what life is like on the other side of the music streaming service world.
