Spotify is giving listeners a deeper look into the people behind their favorite tracks. The streaming platform has announced new features that showcase the contributions of producers, engineers, songwriters, background vocalists, and other collaborators, while also revealing the inspirations and connections behind the music.
Central to the update is SongDNA, an interactive tool that maps a song’s lineage—showing which tracks it samples, covers, and the other projects involving its contributors. This feature allows users to explore music through its creators, giving fans insight into the wider web of collaborations that shape their favorite songs.
The expanded Song Credits feature goes beyond topline performance, songwriting, and production credits to now include detailed information about the people and influences behind the music. Spotify acquired the music database WhoSampled to support these new insights, which detail sampled music and cover versions. This move positions Spotify alongside platforms like TIDAL, which also offers interactive credits to discover music via contributors.
In addition, Spotify is launching About the Song, which will display swipeable cards in the “Now Playing” view. These cards provide context on the song’s inspiration, cultural impact, and stories behind its creation, sourcing information from multiple web resources such as Wikipedia and news sites. This expands on previous initiatives, like the partnership with Genius, which offered limited track backstories.
The expanded Song Credits are rolling out this week on mobile devices and will come to desktop in the coming months. SongDNA and About the Song will be available to Premium subscribers starting early next year through a Spotify for Artists Preview, allowing creators to review and verify credits before public release.
With these updates, Spotify aims to deepen the connection between listeners and music creators, celebrating the teams behind the hits while enabling fans to explore the rich network of influences that shape modern music.
