On Wednesday, Spotify revealed it is offering users greater influence over its recommendation system for the first time. This shift is highlighted by the introduction of "Promoted Playlists," a new feature initially launching in beta for Premium subscribers in New Zealand and available only in English. The company plans to refine the tool before expanding it to other regions.

This feature enables listeners to craft a personalized playlist by describing exactly what they want to hear, designed to reflect the complete scope of their musical journey. Unlike other playlists, it considers a user’s entire Spotify listening history from the very beginning, not just current favorites.

Building on the AI playlist option launched last year, which also uses written prompts, Promoted Playlists allow for much more detailed and lengthy instructions. Key differentiators include the ability to draw from deeper listening history and to schedule how frequently the playlist updates.

For example, a user could request "music from my top artists from the last five years" and then refine it by adding "deep cuts I haven’t heard yet." Other prompts might be: "high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs for a cool-down" or "music from this year’s biggest films and most-talked-about TV shows that match my taste."

Users can further fine-tune their prompts and set refresh intervals, such as daily or weekly. The concept allows listeners to create a custom version of playlists like Discover Weekly or the genre-focused Daily Mixes, tailored to specific music types, genres, or time periods.

To provide clarity, each playlist will include descriptions explaining the recommendations, and Spotify will offer starter prompts to help users begin. This move aligns with a broader trend, as other social platforms like Instagram and the decentralized service Bluesky are also introducing features that give users more control over their algorithmic content feeds.