I wrote here recently of the changes afoot in the world of music streaming. You might now have encountered one of the biggest for yourself – Spotify’s new ‘TikTok style’ feed. Only available on the mobile app, this new look is most likely a pre-emptive strike against TikTok’s own forthcoming music service. More generally though, it’s a concession to TikTok and Instagram’s impact on the way we now consume digital content: scrolling up and down on our phones.
I had feared that the new feed might lead to a shallower experience – just an endless sequence of tracks. In fact, there’s plenty of opportunity for depth. My own feed heavily reflects my general tastes and recent listening, and short video clips tempt me into albums, playlists and songs. It’s actually pretty good, and to my Gen X mindset at least, a lot less jarring than some other services.
