Spotify has shared a report investigating the range of music its members listen to on the streaming service. Using its own internal data, the company said that Spotify listeners are hearing 37% more artists than they were in 2014. That’s an increase from nearly 30 artists streamed per week to about 41 artists streamed per week. The rate of increase for listening diversity was biggest in the past year, and the number of artists heard has risen alongside growth in total listening.
Within the Spotify ecosystem, curated playlists have appeared to be responsible for much of the artist diversity increases. The streaming service offers a blend of algorithms and human curation, both of which could help to introduce the average listener to new bands. Playlists provide an encouraging path toward discovering new artists.