Spotify's 'About This Song' beta reveals track backstories for Premium users

Spotify is testing a new feature that adds context to your listening experience by revealing the stories behind the songs you play. The company announced today that "About This Song" is rolling out in beta to select Premium subscribers in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia.

The feature integrates directly into the Now Playing view, adding swappable cards that appear when you scroll down while a track is playing. These cards summarize information about the current song, pulling from third-party sources including publications like Variety and TIME. Spotify says the goal is to help listeners understand the craft and context behind their favorite tracks, potentially deepening their connection to the music.

To access the feature, Premium users in the supported countries should open the Spotify app, navigate to the Now Playing view, and scroll down. If available for the current track, an "About This Song" card will appear. The cards include thumbs-up and thumbs-down feedback buttons, allowing Spotify to optimize the summarization feature based on user responses.

This move follows a growing trend among streaming platforms to provide more than just audio playback. By adding contextual information directly into the listening experience, Spotify aims to satisfy the curiosity that many music fans feel when a song particularly resonates with them—that moment when you want to know what inspired it or what the lyrics really mean.

The beta rollout is currently limited to English-speaking Premium users in six countries, suggesting Spotify is taking a measured approach to test the feature's reception and functionality before potentially expanding it to more regions and languages. The company hasn't announced when or if the feature will exit beta or become available to free-tier users.

For now, Premium subscribers in the supported countries can check if they have early access by updating their Spotify app and exploring the Now Playing view while listening to their favorite tracks. The feature represents Spotify's continued efforts to differentiate its service through enhanced user experience rather than just catalog size or audio quality.

Spotify continues to experiment with features that add value beyond basic music streaming, and "About This Song" appears to be the latest attempt to create a more engaging and informative listening environment for its Premium subscribers.