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You're probably not using Spotify right. Here's how to get the most out of your music
If you use Spotify only to search for a specific song or artist, you're really missing out.
The music streaming app has had some major updates lately, giving users long-requested features, smart recommendations and family mixes that combine the tracks you and your loved ones enjoy.
Though it's not native to your smartphone the way Apple Music is,the downloadable appis just asflexible. Soyou can set it up in the car, on your smart home assistant and download tracks to listen to offline.
Spotify works on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets as well on desktop computers.
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A 2019WSJ report saidthat Apple overtook the Swedish streaming giant as the most popularservice in the U.S. Spotify has distinct offerings including a free ad-supported tier, extensive playlist selection and much-buzzed-about podcast discovery tools.
Still, using the multiplatform app can be confusing whether you're paying the $9.99 monthly subscription fee or not.
Here's how to make the most of it
Create your own podcast playlist:Spotify recently rolled out the ability tocombine music and podcasts into one playlist. You can start a playlist from scratch, or build on one of the platforms 3 billion user-generated playlists.Here's how to do it:
Select a podcast you're interested in.
Tap the three horizontaldots on the right side of an episode.
Tap Add to playlist.
Select a playlist youve already created you like to add it to. Or, tap to create a new playlist from scratch.
I have a Spotify Playlist simply entitled 'Guilty Pleasures', the most embarrassing track on which is 'Love Yourself' by Justin Bieber
Law Turley (@Treacle_A) October 11, 2019
Download music and podcasts for your commute:Sometimes being disconnected from cellular service or Wi-Fi is unavoidable, so the app gives you an option to download tracks for when you don't have access to online data. Here's how to do it:
Navigate to the content you want to stream offline.
Find the download toggle and switch it to ON. You'll know it's working when it turns green.
Once the contentin your library is downloaded, youll see agreen arrow beneath each song's name.
If the track is grayed out when youre offline, it means you can't play it until you're connected to the internet again.
'Your Daily Drive:'Spotify enables you to think less during your commute
Find a playlist for your coffee break: Spotify created a couple of playlists just for your morning routine at home. The platform createdWake Up and Smell the Coffee,Soul Coffee, andArabic Coffeeto choose from. Or you can pick from more than 2 million fan-made coffee, latte, caffeine, espresso, café, and kaffe playlists.
Just type the keywords in the search bar and sift through the options.
Marie Kondo your playlists:If your playlist creating habits become obsessive, there's a way to organize them so that they're easier to find.You need thedesktop appto create a folder for them, whichwill show up on your mobile devices. Here's how to do it:
Right-click a playlist in the menu on the left of the desktop app.
SelectCreate Folder.
Give it a name and press enter.
To add to the folder, select a playlistfrom the menu in the left of the desktop app. Then use drag and drop to add it to a playlist folder. You can also build folders within folders by right-clicking a playlist folder and selecting Create folder.
Filter out the curse words: In August, Spotify addeda tool that gives adults better control over the content children listen to. And in October, the platform released a blog post detailing how to "filter out songs that might not be appropriate for everyone in your house or car to hear." Here's how to do it:
On the mobile app, tap the Home icon.
Tapthe gear icon in the upper right corner and pick Settings
Scroll down to Allow Explicit Content toggle
Turn the toggle off (gray).
Find your next favorite song:There are four ways to discover new songs on Spotify. If you want AI to select what you might like, you can listen to Radio playlists. Tap FOLLOW to save a playlistto your radio library and further customizeit by liking or disliking tracks.
There's also a Discover Weekly playlist that makes 30 song recommendations based on your listening history. There's a Daily Mix feature that's basically just a playlistbased on styles of songs you listen to. And there's Release Radar, a weekly playlist of new music.
What are some of your favorite tips or playlists on Spotify? Share them with Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.
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