Music streaming service Spotify has pushed an update out to their Android application this morning, which brings with it at last the Spotify Radio functionality. Best of all, it's completely free of charge. The free radio will be ad-supported, so every so often between songs you'll have to listen to ads, but these go away for Premium account holders. Free radio is at present only available to U.S. users, but the premium version is available to everyone. This feature has been around on iOS for about a month now, but we're delighted that it's now coming our way.
Spotify Radio isn't just any old radio streaming app, in vein of say, TuneIn Radio. Spotify's effort aims to learn from your personal preferences, so when you give a song a thumbs up, this is remembered and used to generate a playlist for you. So, next time that Glee soundtrack song appears, it might not be so easy to explain away!
You also have the ability to create your own radio stations based upon a playlist, album or even a single song. When a song comes up that you like, you can save that too to listen back to at your leisure across any Spotify enabled device.
The update is live in the Play Store now, and you'll find the full press release after the break.
Download: Spotify
Androids play for free
Starting July 31, users can now enjoy Spotify radio on their Androids for free. Spotify’s latest app offers free radio - the only radio where users can save the songs they love. It’s now easier to discover, save and enjoy an unlimited amount of music on the go. Key features include:
Play everywhere
● Tap into millions of songs wherever. Just like the desktop, mobile radio has the entire Spotify catalog to choose from.
Just create stations
● Create stations based on any artist, album or playlist, and Spotify brings users one great song after another. They can skip a song if they don’t like it.
Save the songs you love
● When a user likes a song, they can give it a thumbs up and it’ll be saved to a “Liked from Radio” playlist on their desktop, so they can listen whenever they’d like.
Make it more personal
● Every time a song is given a thumbs up (or down), Spotify learns. Its radio gets better the more a user listens.
Premium users can enjoy a Premium radio experience that’s ad-free. Free users will hear occasional ad-breaks just like on their desktops desktop.
Download the app from the Google Play Store.
Reader comments
Spotify update brings Spotify Radio to Android at last
So, is it more like Slacker, with a bunch of genres to choose from? I've been waiting for a chance to ditch the horrible Slacker Android app, but nothing else has the features that Slacker does when it comes to the radio.
The radio is a nice feature, but I wish they'd fix the bug that keeps it in portrait mode all the time. On a tablet, it's a pain to use it sideways with my tablet docked.
Amen! I was hoping they'd fix that in this update, but no such luck.
Does it have more song selections than Pandora?
-Suntan
After updating my app says radio is only available to premium users in your area. I'm in the US. Trying to uninstall and reinstall to see if that fixes it.
Too late - in my mind Songza is the current champ of streaming radio (and with no ads). Long time Pandora fan, but Songza has been killing it!
Only way I'd switch to Spotify is if I could call up and listen to specific tracks whenever I want (although the "Save the songs you love" is interesting).
Finally. My life is complete. Spotify Radio easily blows away Pandora and any other Internet radio app out there. Great selections and saving all the new songs i find for later listening is ideal. Ive found so much more new music with Spotify Radio. 2 thumbs up.
Will not use until Spotify takes away the stupid FaceBook login requirement. They did in Germany, give the rest of us some choice please.
What stupid Facebook login? I don't have to login via Facebook--just my Spotify user account. Of course, that may have something to do with being a premium member.
Is this streaming only? The saved songs are on the local device or in the cloud? I would like to have a way to save some of this using WiFi and play back on the road.
Meh, Grooveshark has had this forever. Not really interested in Spotify anymore.
I really like the album cover I see in your spotify app :) - No comments for Spotify though ;)
I went to sign up, but they are still requiring a Facebook account for new users. So, yeah, they can, in the immortal words of Tony! Toni! Tone!, new jack swiiiiiing on my nuts.