Spotify adds artist data, concerts, features

Spotify has rolled out two new features to keep its current fan and artist subscribers longer online, and to draw in new ones. Spotify is the largest streaming service in the world with 75 million users, and 1.7 billion hours of listening each month.

Spotify Fan Insights will provide analytics on where an act’s fans are, their ages, their listening habits, which devises they access the act’s music on, and the difference in consumption behaviour between hardcore and casual followers. The data is intended for artists to strategise their touring and merchandising sales and record releases.

The feature is free but only available to signed artists and their business team. It is currently on a trial basis on desktop computers and a basic version on mobiles, with a select amount of artists. “We have plans to open up broader access in the coming months,” the company said.

Australian and New Zealand musicians already have a similar service through Pandora, launched last year.

The second new feature is the Concerts, which advises Spotify users when their favourite act hits their town, and recommends acts based on their listening habits. It allows acts to get the word out about their latest shows. Users who are travelling can hit "Change Location" to see concert listings from around the world.