After 100 billion tracks played, Spotify’s most beloved playlist feature just got its biggest makeover since 2015. Your Discover Weekly experience will become less “surprise me” and more “surprise me with jazz fusion.”
Genre Buttons Change Everything
The centerpiece of this June 2025 revamp is a carousel of genre buttons sitting at the top of your Discover Weekly playlist. Premium users can now tap genres like pop, R&B, funk, hip hop, or movie soundtracks to influence what lands in their weekly mix. Think of it as TikTok’s algorithm precision meeting Spotify’s decade of listening data.
No more wondering why your “chill indie” playlist suddenly includes Norwegian death metal. You can finally steer the ship instead of hoping the algorithm reads your mind correctly.
More Than Just Genre Controls
The visual refresh ditches that old gradient cover art for something that reflects your evolving taste. Spotify also rolled out a “snooze” feature that temporarily removes songs for 30 days without permanently blocking them—perfect for when you’re not ready to write off an artist but need a break from that one overplayed track.
The queue visualization lets you preview and modify upcoming recommendations on the fly. It’s like having a playlist DJ booth where you get to see what’s coming next.
The Algorithm’s New Reality
Here’s the catch: Spotify‘s algorithm has quietly shifted toward prioritizing listener retention over pure discovery. Songs that get saved and replayed repeatedly now get algorithmic boosts, making it harder for completely unknown artists to break through organically.
While 77% of Discover Weekly streams still go to emerging artists—helping listeners discover over 56 million new musicians—independent artists without existing engagement face steeper odds than they did five years ago.
Premium-Only Territory
These features live exclusively in Spotify Premium territory, requiring a $12 monthly subscription and the latest app update. Free users remain at the mercy of pure algorithmic surprise.
The move signals Spotify’s bet that guided discovery beats total algorithmic chaos. After a decade of musical roulette, Premium subscribers finally get steering wheels for their Monday morning soundtrack.
