Some big changes are afoot at Spotify, where music streamers will soon be able to block an artist’s entire catalog. Elsewhere, a report suggests Spotify is moving away from the smartphones and aiming straight for the car.
Let’s discuss the artists blocking feature first. A report by Thurrott points to a new feature that is currently in testing, allowing users to completely block an artist. So, if you happen to dislike an artist enough that you want no trace of them in automatic playlists or global charts, this is the feature for you.
Testers say a blocked artist will not appear in personal libraries, playlists, radio, or anywhere else on Spotify. Once a block is in place, the only way to see an artist or to play their music is to remove the block.
Users can find the features through the ‘…’ menu and under a “Don’t play this artist” sections. At the moment, the feature is in testing and seems to be limited to select users. For example, we could not see it on Android and Windows 10. It seems to be exclusive to iOS for the time being, but even then not all beta users are seeing it.
Escaping Phones
Elsewhere in the world of Spotify, the company is aiming to move away from smartphones. Perhaps that is worth making clearer. Spotify will remain on smartphones but is trying to expand to other areas.
The Financial Times reports the market-leading music streaming service is working on a dedicated music player for vehicles. Of course, in-car technology is an avenue plenty of tech companies are actively developing, so Spotify does not want to be left out.
A new device will allow audio to be played through a car stereo through Bluetooth and will have buttons assigned to playlists. FT reports it will also be controlled by voice.
