When Spotify updated to add support for apps over a year ago, the news was met with a collective shrug from most people. Over time, a number of apps have popped up, and they make content discovery and personalized news easy.
The initial Spotify apps that launched last year were a little bland (Rolling Stone lists, Pitchfork lists, weird dating apps), but I spent some time with them again recently and a few gems are hidden within Spotify's app "store" (click the Apps button in the sidebar and they'll pop up). Here are a few that work really well.
Apps Are a Fantastic Discovery Tool
The most obvious use of the Spotify apps is to assist with music discovery, and in that respect, they don't disappoint. With apps like Rolling Stone, Hype Machine, The Guardian, and Pitchfork, it's not difficult to find a curated list of some of the best (or at least more popular) new music hitting the shelves. Simply read a review, click play, and you're listening to an album instantly. It's more handy than you'd think.
Of course, music discovery is also about getting into completely new genres, and in a couple places Spotify really shines. I've dipped my toe into the jazz and classical genres for years, but have always been put off by the complexity of diving in headfirst. For classical music, the Classify app has made it easy for me to peek into its depths without feeling overwhelmed. For jazz, the excellent Blue Note app provides a breakdown of the various subgenres of jazz, a timeline, and plenty more. It's one of the rare example of just what's possible within Spotify.
Just you'd expect, you'll also find all kinds of more randomized playlists too, including Tunigo for event-specific lists (parties, workouts, and more), or MoodAgent to create a soundtrack to your current mood.
You'll find plenty of other examples, and chances are that regardless of what type of music you prefer, you'll find an app that does what you want it to. These aren't full-time use apps by any means, and the bulk of my time is spent listening to albums. But when I have time to mess around and find new thing, I've enjoyed my time with Spotify apps more than I thought I would.
Apps Can Dish You Concert News without Filling Up Your Inbox with Nonsense
I like the idea of webapps and sites that send me news when my favorite artists are in town, or when they release a new album, but I'm not into signing up for newsletters, alerts, or Facebook updates. What's nice about Spotify apps is they're restricted to the Spotify ecosystem. They don't dig into (and through) your social networks. They don't send you 900 emails a week. They just sit there, waiting for you to click on them.
So, apps like Bandsintown Concerts or Seatgeek that scan my library and what I listen to, and then show me which of those bands are playing in town soon are pretty nice. I don't need to like a bunch of bands on Facebook, or follow thirty venues on Twitter. It's all just there.
Spotify's own built-in artist alert has also proven helpful. When an artist you've starred releases a new album on Spotify, you get a little notification that lets you know. It's simple, but helpful when you're stuck digging through all the noise.
While Spotify apps aren't going to change the way the listen to music completely, they do have their uses, and as both a discovery tool and a news filter, the apps are surprisingly useful. It might be time to give them another look if you haven't already.
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