Spotify launched in 2008 and transformed music listening as we know it. As a digital music, podcast, and video service, Spotify gives users access to millions of songs and other content from creators all over the world. Today, Spotify is the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service with 381M users, including 172M subscribers, across 184 markets.
Problem
Spotify recognizes that users are having trouble finding unknown music directly within the app, prompting a deeper look into how to better support music discovery through an integrated feature. Through user interviews with regular Spotify mobile users, it became clear that people often turn to tools outside the app—like Googling lyrics, using Shazam, or asking Siri—to identify songs. While Spotify’s search bar, Lyrics Match, and recommended playlists do help, they don’t fully address the pain points around quickly identifying or finding unfamiliar music. These interviews, along with market research and competitor analysis, highlighted a recurring need for a more seamless, all-in-one experience. Many users expressed interest in having a built-in audio recognition feature within Spotify itself, noting the inconvenience of switching between apps or draining battery life unnecessarily. Together, these findings revealed a clear problem: Spotify lacks a fully integrated method for helping users discover unknown music without relying on external tools.
Solution
In response to these insights, the solution focused on designing a native audio-searching feature directly within Spotify. Creating an ideal persona helped clarify who this feature would serve, while user flows mapped out how someone might move through the app when searching for music using this new capability. From there, preliminary sketches explored different layout options, ensuring the added feature would feel natural within the existing interface before moving into high-fidelity wireframes. With detailed wireframes in place, prototyping became straightforward—each screen was simply connected to the appropriate interaction point to bring the experience to life. Looking ahead, ongoing testing and iteration would be essential as the feature rolls out, along with addressing any technical constraints and ensuring consistency across platforms and devices. This continued refinement would help solidify the feature as a smooth, integrated way for users to find the music they’re looking for—all within Spotify.
(Disclaimer: This project and the content presented here is speculative and for educational purposes only. I am not affiliated with Spotify.)
