What is Song DNA?
Spotify is testing a new feature called SongDNA, allowing users to explore music through people who have contributed to the song or album from singers, musicians, sound engineers to producers and songwriters.
This feature was discovered in Spotify app code by renowned reversal engineer Jane Manchun Wong, who regularly reveals the testing features of major technology platforms.
Wong shared a photo showing the SongDNA interface that allows users to see details of the production team for each song, learn about their connections and explore other works they have done.
Revealing the music creation network
According to Wong, SongDNA will bring an intuitive experience, helping listeners not only enjoy music but also gain a deeper understanding of the creative process behind it.
For example, she pointed out that artist Rei Ami, a member of the voice cast for the movie KPop Demon Hunters, also contributed his voice to many other songs, a detail that fans would hardly know if they only listen to regular music.
soon after the information was revealed, Spotify updated the app to remove all traces of SongDNA in the source code, raising speculation that the company was conducting internal testing before making it public.
When contacted, Spotify declined to comment in detail but also did not deny the existence of this feature.
New ambition in the streaming industry
Technology engineer Chris Messina later confirmed the existence of SongDNA, saying that this feature could be used to display the co-ops network behind each song, thereby allowing users to explore more about the artists, producers or related engineers.
If officially launched, SongDNA could become a direct competitor to TIDAL, a music streaming platform that is known for its ability to record in detail those who contribute to the creative process.
However, DNA can be useful not only for listeners who want to understand more about music but also for industry experts from producers to musicians looking for potential collaborators.
Different from pandora's Genome Project
Some people question whether SongDNA is a Spotify version of pandoras Genome Music Project.
However, according to experts, the big difference is that SongDNA focuses on humans, which are individuals and their relationships, instead of analyzing the musical structure based on hundreds of technical characteristics like pandora.
Although Spotify has not confirmed the release date, observers believe that SongDNA could become a tool to help the platform increase connectivity and transparency in the music industry, while honoring the behind-the-scenes faces, who have created the true DNA of each song.
