Spotify's 'SongDNA' feature will reveal creators behind your favorite tracks
What's the story
Spotify is working on a new feature called "SongDNA," which would allow users to discover music through its credits. The feature was discovered by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong, who found it in the app's code. SongDNA would provide a visual experience where users could navigate through credits and see how different people are connected to each other and their work.
Potential competition
It could rival TIDAL's interactive credits feature
If launched, SongDNA could give tough competition to TIDAL's interactive credits feature. The latter also lets users explore music through the contributors behind their favorite songs. The new feature could be particularly useful for music industry professionals looking for collaborators or anyone interested in learning more about the people behind music creation.
Feature removal
Wong's initial discovery led to an app update
After Wong shared screenshots of the feature on social media, Spotify's app was updated to remove any references to SongDNA. The company did not deny or confirm the existence of this new feature when reached for comment. Another reverse engineer and technologist, Chris Messina, confirmed SongDNA's existence by finding references in the app's code.
Feature distinction
SongDNA v/s Music Genome Project
Unlike Pandora's Music Genome Project, which uses hundreds of traits to classify tracks and determine their relationships, SongDNA seems to focus solely on the people behind the music. This would be a major departure from projects like Pandora's Music Genome Project that classify tracks using hundreds of different details or "traits."