Listeners are suing Spotify, alleging that its Discovery Mode feature doesn’t actually personalize music recommendations based on their tastes.
People use Spotify in many different ways every day. Some build playlists with their favorite songs, while others prefer listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Many also enjoy using Spotify to discover new music, similar to how they’d use a radio.
Spotify personalizes music recommendations for listeners through daily playlists created based on their habits. For artists, Spotify’s Discovery Mode helps them reach new fans who enjoy similar music.
Discovery Mode is facing a lawsuit from a listener who says Spotify didn’t consider their preferences when creating personalized playlists.
Spotify’s Discovery Mode embroiled in lawsuit
On November 5th, Genevieve Capolongo filed a lawsuit in New York alleging that Spotify uses deceptive “pay-for-play” practices.
Capolongo says she repeatedly encountered popular songs on Spotify that didn’t match her usual taste. She and others argue that Spotify essentially charges users to be misled, as its Discovery Mode gives the illusion of personalized recommendations while secretly prioritizing songs from labels who pay for promotion.
According to a lawsuit, Spotify gains users’ trust by promising genuine music recommendations – through both its automated and human-created playlists – but then secretly sells those recommendations to the companies willing to pay the most.
The streaming service disputes the claims made in the lawsuit, stating that they inaccurately portray Discovery Mode and are simply untrue.
They told Billboard that the criticisms not only mischaracterize Discovery Mode and how it functions, but also contain numerous errors and inaccuracies.
Discovery Mode lets artists highlight the songs they want to be considered for algorithmic playlists like Radio, Autoplay, and some Mixes. It’s important to know that this feature doesn’t purchase plays, it doesn’t influence playlists curated by humans, and we clearly let users know when a track is being considered through Discovery Mode both in the app and on our website.
Spotify has also been accused of alleged widespread botting, with Drake being named as an example.
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2025-11-06 18:48