Spotify Stations, We Say Our Farewells
On May 16, Spotify Stations, the company’s nimble music-streaming service, will be shut down, according to emails issued to customers.
As a result of this communication, both the standalone app and the web-based player will no longer operate. Spotify isn’t even waiting until May 16 to begin shutting down Stations since the app has already been removed from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
After stating that the music stations would be moved to the main app, Spotify sends an email advising users to make the necessary preparations for the transfer.
The experiment has been completed.
We contacted Spotify to learn more about the company’s decision to discontinue Stations. The “experiment” had run its course, to put it simply. To build better listening experiences for our consumers at Spotify, we often run a variety of tests, as a Spotify spokesman informed TechRadar.” Each test has an impact on our overall user experience, while some just serve as a learning opportunity. One of such tests was the Spotify Stations Beta.'”
Spotify Stations were initially introduced in January 2018 as the service’s equivalent of Pandora. It offered a broad range of stations focused on various genres, performers, or feelings. Even with simple curation options like “favourites,” you had little influence over the music you were listening to.
Spotify’s user community has reacted with a mix of displeasure and resignation. Commenters on Spotify’s subreddit are sad that Stations is being discontinued because they liked the simple user interface it provided for their music collection. You didn’t have to go through any menus to get to the music because of the UI. Depending on who you ask, it may be a terrific method to discover new music, or it can be downright buggy. On the basic app, you couldn’t add a song to a playlist because to the poor quality of the audio.
Streamlining the applications
It seems that IT companies are beginning a new trend with the demise of Spotify Stations: consolidating their services under a single roof rather than having an array of separate applications. Spotify has previously integrated its Greenroom function into its main app, now renamed Spotify Live, in a similar fashion.
The lightweight YouTube Go app is being phased out in a similar manner by YouTube. Older users were urged to upgrade to the main app by the “unnecessary” app. It’s going to be fascinating to watch whether other providers follow the same lead. An alternative to having several heavyweight apps is to have a single, lightweight app with a plethora of capabilities.