Spotify launches ‘About the song’ feature with stories and facts about tracks

Spotify has rolled out a new feature called “About the Song,” designed to give listeners a closer look at the stories and behind-the-scenes details behind the music they love. The feature appears as a set of short cards users can swipe through, with the option to like or dislike each story.

According to Spotify, these bite-sized stories are curated from third-party sources and include interesting facts as well as highlights from the track-making process. The goal is to offer deeper context and insights into the creative intent behind the songs.

With “About the Song,” Spotify offers something competitors like Apple Music don’t currently provide. The feature is launching in beta on mobile devices, available in English, and exclusive to Premium subscribers. Initially, it will be rolled out in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia.

To check out the new feature, users need to open the “Now Playing” screen and scroll down. If a track supports the “About the Song” card, it will appear there, allowing listeners to swipe through stories and learn more about the music.

Spotify explained the idea behind “About the Song” in its official blog: many music fans know the feeling when a song stops them in their tracks, sparking a desire to understand the inspiration and meaning behind it. The company believes that knowing the context and creative process helps listeners connect more deeply with their favorite tunes.

“About the Song” is just one of several new features Spotify has announced recently. Earlier, the company revealed that users in the US and UK will soon be able to purchase physical copies of audiobooks directly through the app. It also introduced new audiobook tools like Page Match, which lets users scan a page from a physical book to jump instantly to that spot in the audiobook, as well as Audiobook Recaps providing brief summaries.

Earlier this week, Spotify made song lyrics available worldwide and added offline lyric viewing for all users, not just Premium subscribers. Lyrics now also appear directly below album art or a short looping video accompanying the track.

Additionally, Spotify announced changes to its Developer Mode API, used by third-party app creators for testing. Updates include a mandatory Premium subscription, limits on the number of test users, and a reduced set of available API endpoints.