[2021] Elaborate Spotify Year in Review

As a genuine streaming music service platform, Spotify was officially launched in Stockholm, Sweden in October 2008. At present, Spotify has been supported by several major global record companies such as Warner Music, Sony, and EMI. The music it provides is genuine. In addition to providing online listening, Spotify can also download music locally for offline listening. In addition, this software can be used not only on a computer, but also on a mobile phone. It is precisely because of these excellent services that Spotify has won the support of many users around the world. As of January 2015, Spotify has more than 60 million users worldwide. This article will specifically introduce Spotify's operating model, advantages and disadvantages, and the latest features. In addition, if you still want to know about MediaMonkey and iTunes, you can check out MediaMonkey vs iTunes: Detailed Review.

Part 1: Free vs. Premium
Part 2: Music Library in Spotify
Part 3: Pros of Using Spotify
Part 4: Cons of Using Spotify
Part 5: New Feature in Spotify

Part 1: Free vs. Premium

Spotify provides differentiated services for free users and paid users. The functions that free users can use are quite limited, while the functions that paid users can use are not restricted. If you want to become a Premium user, the user needs to pay Spotify US$9.9 a month. In addition, Spotify has student subscriptions of $4.99 per month and family subscriptions of $14.99 per month.

1. Free users

Free users will have ads pop up when they use Spotify. In addition, free users cannot play music offline, and the music played is random. more importantly. The amount of music they can listen to is also limited, and they cannot view the playlist that is playing. When using Spotify to listen to music, they also have a limit on the number of times they can skip songs.

2. Paying users

Compared to free users, paid users are just the opposite. Not only will there be no ads popping up when they use Spotify, but the music they listen to is of high quality. In addition, Spotify also allows paying users to listen to music offline, while also allowing them to view the current playlist and play all music.

 

Part 2: Music Library in Spotify

After getting the support of several major global record companies such as Warner Music, Sony, and EMI, Spotify claims that it has a 30 million music library. In other words, users can find most of the current popular songs in Spotify. Of course, if you often browse certain music communities, you may often see people asking why can't I play some songs on Spotify? Regarding this question, the most common explanation is that Spotify does not have the copyright of these songs. The main reasons for copyright problems mainly include: a certain single in a music album is exclusively owned by a platform, so if Spotify does not have the copyright of the song, the song cannot be put on the shelves. Or the entire music album will be released on other streaming media platforms. In this case, most of them will be released on major streaming media platforms only a few months later due to the need to hit charts. In addition, certain music platforms will always monopolize the works of certain singers. For example: Taylor Swift's 1989 was exclusively owned by Apple Music.

Generally speaking, the music files we download from other music platforms are DRM protected. Therefore, without copyright, Spotify cannot play these songs offline due to DRM protection. At this time, we can use Leawo Prof. DRM to remove DRM from music files. As long as we download songs from other platforms and use Leawo Prof. DRM to remove the DRM from these songs, we can use Spotify to play these songs offline without copyright.

 

Part 3: Pros of Using Spotify

As one of the best genuine streaming music service platforms, Spotify has many advantages that have been praised by countless users.

1.Spotify Connect

Spotify Connect means that users can use Spotify to relay the same song on different devices. For example: when I use my mobile phone to listen to music, I can also let the computer continue to play the music I am listening to from the position I am currently listening to. In addition, we can also use the mobile phone to drag the progress bar to control the playback progress of Spotify on the computer. Of course, because this is the cloud synchronization playback progress, the response speed depends on the quality of the network.

2. Song recommendation

Spotify provides users with an excellent experience of finding new music. For example, under the Genres & Moods tab, Spotify showed more than 40 different styles, each of which provides users with multiple different playlists. These playlists are usually provided by Spotify officials and partners and are of high quality.

3. Edit playlists with multiple people

After the user has created a playlist, he can invite his friends to edit the playlist together.

4. Crossfade Songs

As a small detail of Spotify, Crossfade Songs allows users to set a few seconds of transition during music switching, making music switching less abrupt. It is worth noting that this feature seems to only appear in officially created playlists.

 

Part 4: Cons of Using Spotify

It is undeniable that Spotify still has many shortcomings to be improved.

1. Multi-platform experience is not uniform

In different regions and devices, the experience of using Spotify is different. For example, there is a difference between the content under the "Browse" tab on the Android client and the computer. In addition, the Podcast function available in the Android client is not available on the computer side. These differences have seriously affected the user experience of using Spotify.

2. The interface is not beautiful

Spotify's interface display in the Android client is rather unsightly. A large blank area often appears below the interface.

3. The playlist is not smart enough

When it comes to organizing playlists, Spotify is not smart enough. Users want to be able to collect eligible music by setting conditions and put the music in a playlist. Unfortunately, Spotify cannot help users complete this operation.

4. No copyright for the lyrics of certain songs

Currently, Spotify does not have all the copyrights of the songs. In other words, when we play certain songs, Spotify does not display any lyrics. There is no doubt that this is not a good experience for us, it is terrible!

 

Part 5: New Feature in Spotify

Recently Spotify updated a new personalized feature called Only You. This new feature can automatically create themed playlists according to the user's taste. Only You will display tunes organized around each theme based on six themes. The following are the six themes presented by Only You according to users' tastes.

1. Your audio birth chart

This topic will detail the artists that users have heard the most in the past six months, and show an artist that users have heard that best showcases your emotional or vulnerable side.

2. Your Dream Dinner

Only You will prompt the user to select the three artists he wants to invite to the dream dinner. After selecting the trio, Spotify will create a personalized Spotify Mix for each artist.

3. Your artist pairing

Only You will showcase the unique audio pairings that users have recently heard in this theme, and at the same time show the user's range of listening interests.

4. Your song timeline

According to the time period when users listen to music, Only You will show in this theme how users can travel through music at different time periods.

5. Your time

Whether it is early in the morning or late at night, Only You will recommend music and podcast content for users at a specific time according to their preferences.

6. Your music genre

Only You will combine the music that users often listen to and the podcast genre to form a unique music genre for users, and make personalized recommendations for users. 

There is no doubt that Spotify, which owns the copyrights of many songs and musicians, is already one of the best genuine streaming music service platforms on the market. With Spotify, you can find almost all the currently popular music. Currently, even if Spotify doesn’t have the copyright to some songs and cannot play them online, you don’t have to feel frustrated about it. You can download these songs from other platforms first, and then use the excellent Leawo Prof. DRM to remove the DRM protection from these songs. Finally, you can use Spotify to play these songs offline.

 

Personalize Your List - New Feature in Spotify: "Only You"

With more than 356 million users, 70 million tracks, and 2.6 million podcast titles, Spotify is the place where you can discover, share and enjoy tons of music. To celebrate the unmatched music listening experience that is unique to everyone, the music streaming app just announced a global campaign - Only You, with new features updated on the app. Want to know how it works? Just read on.

 

Part 1: Optimize In-App Experience with Different Theme
Part 2: Find Popular List in Fellow Fans
Part 3: Blend the Same Musical Taste
Part 4: How to Download Music in Spotify Only You List?

 

Part 1: Optimize In-App Experience with Different Theme

Spotify has updated new features to support the "Only You" campaign, you can find the different themes incorporated with optimized in-app experience. Here are all the new features coming along:

 

1. Your Audio Birth Chart

Want to know what happens when your birth sign meets the music? The audio birth chart explores how your Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign bond with the musical taste and listening experience. For instance, the Sun sign indicates the artists you've been listening to for the past six months; the Moon Sign is the artist that you listen to which can illustrate your emotional side; when it comes to the Rising sign, it's the assembly of the artists you've recently listened to.

 

 

2. Your Dream Dinner Party

 

Have an artist that you want to invite for a dinner party? The dream dinner party list can make that happen(musically). So you can pick three artists that you'd like to invite for a dinner party, and Spotify will mix them and create a personalized playlist. Prepare the dinner party and set the mood for the meal now!

 

3. Your Artist Pairs

 

There must be someone out there who shares the same taste as you. How much alike? Like listening to Olivia Rodrigo and then switching to Greta Van Fleet. Spotify will put together some unique pairing lists of the sort to show your range of listening interests, so you can discover something new.

 

4. Your Song Year

 

Ever wonder the year of the music you've been listening to? Spotify will put together a list to show how you've musically traveled through, so you'll relive in the time again with music.

 

5.  Your Time of Day

 

This playlist showcases the songs you listen to at certain times. Whether you are an early bird or night owl, you will find the music that specifically belongs to some moments of the day.

 

6. Your Genres/Topic

 

The last part, it'll bring all your music and podcasts together and tell you what your genres/topic you concern, how your taste affects your listening experience.

 

Here is the journey of the campaign. That is to say, you'll need to walk through these steps to create the personalized playlist - "Only You." You'll find it in the "Only You hub" even when the campaign is over.  

 

Part 2: Find Popular List in Fellow Fans

Spotify also updates a new feature to showcase similar music listening experiences across the world, based on the music discovery of your fellow fans. Be curious about whether people who listen to Adele will have the similar taste as you do? Or what are the listening habits of other fans of Fiona Apple? If these ever pop up in your mind, then big data can help you out. Spotify's data will pick up the unique ways fans listen to their favorite artist and create a card to see what your fellow fans are listening to, including when and where.

 

 

Part 3: Blend the Same Musical Taste

Music is such a powerful medium that it's capable of bringing people together. While "Only You" celebrates the unique music experience, "Blend" is a new feature that lets you share your music and merge your playlists with your friends. What happens when your Rock and roll meets your friend's classic piano? You'll find it out later with "Blend."

 

The new feature is currently in beta and you can use it to connect, discover the music you love with one another. The playlist will be updated daily. You will need to invite a friend to blend with, but they'll need to have at least a Spotify Free account or Premium subscription.  The "Blend" list will grow and develop over time based on how you change the music.

 

Want to blend in now? Here's how to do it.

 

Step 1. Launch Spotify mobile, go to the "Made For You" hub, and tap "Create Blend."

Step 2. Tap "Invite" to choose a friend you would like to blend with. The invitation will be sent over via messages or email.

Note: You will need to send individual invitations to each friend you would like to blend with.

Step 3. Once your friend accepts the invitation and agrees to join and blend, Spotify will create a custom list for you two to put together music you love. There will be more recommendations coming along based on your music preferences and tastes.

 

The track list will allow you to see how your listening preferences influence one and another. Simply tap on the profile icon next to the track to find it out. Currently, "Blend" is available on mobile only, for both iOS and Android. The global feature is a beta experience and will continue to develop over time based on users' feedback, so you'll have the best possible music experience once it's fully rolled out.

 

Part 4: How to Download Music in Spotify Only You List?

Spotify users must be familiar with the "Spotify Wrapped," which is the annual personalized playlist released at the end of each year. It's a fun way that allows you to retrieve your memory of music listening and see how your tastes changed. While that personalized list will have to come after a few more months, Spotify unveiled a similar feature in the middle of the year, so everyone can enjoy a Wrapped-like sharable experience NOW.

 

 

Ever so often, Spotify will launch a similar personalized feature, which is mostly a playlist that allows users to rediscover the music that has been forgotten and look back to the musical journey to the moment. "Only You" not only put together all the songs and podcasts you've liked but also tell you the differences in between as well as which combination sets you apart from others.

 

What's more, the taste of fellow fans lets you find out the similar yet still personalized listening habits across the world. The faux astrology is somehow interesting and you'll get to discover more music that might be just made for you! Blend, on the other hand, is more of a social feature that allows you to develop a unique music-sharing experience with loved ones.

 

As Spotify suggests, the "Only You" playlist is a unique music listening habit, so you might want to keep it forever or carry it around without worrying about connection issues. To make this happen, the only way is to download the playlist for offline listening, so you can keep the music forever. Here comes Leawo Prof. DRM, a useful DRM removal and Spotify music downloader that can help you successfully remove the DRM protection upon Spotify music and playlist. You can download and convert Spotify music to the most common format like MP3 or any other format you prefer.

 

Leawo Prof. DRM is the ultimate DRM removal these days, it's comprehensive as it can help you remove DRM on almost all the digital contents such as videos, music, e-books, and audiobooks. Want to get the top 10 iTunes dance party songs? You can download the songs with Leawo Prof. DRM. The converter can also help you save your favorite movies onto your computer so you can have offline access anytime. If you are a fan of Marvel, check out the latest Marvel movie coming out in 2021 and download the movies with ease!

 

Wrap Up

With the data-driven creatives, the "Only You" allows you to rediscover something new, and find out the unique listening experience, which is also a story of your own. With Leawo Prof. DRM, you can keep the "Only You" playlist forever, so the story can be revisited anytime and anywhere. 

What can You Do with VLC - Features You May not Know

The adaptable media player - VLC is highly lauded for its features such as supporting all formats, streaming ability, and plugins, etc. While most people consider it a media player, it's way more powerful than you imagine. With VLC, you can not only convert and download videos but also record screens and play games. And there's even more! Want to know how to make full use of your VLC player? Just keep reading!

 

Part 1: Convert Video File with VLC
Part 2: Edit Video File with VLC
Part 3: Download and Play YouTube Video
Part 4: Record Screen with VLC
Part 5: Listen to the Internet Radio Broadcast
Part 6: Play Games with VLC
Part 7: Other Features in VLC

Part 1: Convert Video File with VLC

The free and powerful video player can help you edit your video with its cool features, such as convert, trim/cut, merge, etc. Now let's explore a bit of VLC and see how to play it around with the editing features.

With VLC, you can easily convert your video from one format to another. Here's how to do it in simple steps.

Step 1. Launch VLC player, go to the menu bar on top. Click Media > Convert/Save.

Step 2. In the pop-out window, click the “Add” button to add the source video. The source video will appear in the field of file selection later.

 

Step 3. Click the “Convert/Save” button to proceed.

Step 4. In the Convert dialog box, choose the video codec/file format you want to convert. For instance, you may select “Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4)” as the target format.

 

Step 5. Click the “Browse” button to choose the destination folder

Step 6. Click the “Start” button to start conversion.

Now just wait for the progress bar to fill up as it competes for the conversion.

 

Part 2: Edit Video File with VLC

Every so often, we need to trim or cut a video to make it smaller for sharing around with friends or distribution online.

Trim/cut video with VLC

With VLC player, you can trim/cut your video with ease, simply follow the steps below!

Step 1. Launch VLC. Go to the menu bar, click the View > Advanced Controls.

Step 2. Click on the red recording button and play the video. When it reaches the point you want to cut the video, click on the recording button again to split the video.

 

That's it, your video will be ready in the “My Video” folder on your computer.

Merge video with VLC

VLC is capable of merging several videos into one. But please note that only videos with the same format can be merged. Let's see how to merge videos using VLC with the steps below.

Step 1. Launch VLC. Go to the menu bar on top. Select Media > Open Multiple Files.

Step 2. Choose the “File' tab, click on the “Add” button to add the source videos you would like to merge.

 

Step 3. Once videos are added in the “File Selection,” click the “Play” button at the bottom and choose “Convert” in the drop-down menu.

Step 4. Choose the output directory and VLC will start merging videos.

Now you know how to convert video format, cut/trim video, and merge video files with VLC, it's as simple as that! However, if you want to have a more complete solution to video editing, or you need to edit video regularly, try Leawo Video Converter, the best alternative to the VLC player.

 

Leawo Video Converter is the most powerful video editing software on the block. The converter can help you convert video and audio, burn video and images to DVD/Blu-ray, and is packed with many useful video editing features that can rival the VLC player. With Leawo Video Converter, you can adjust the video and parameters, trim or crop to make the file smaller without losing video quality. On top of that, the video editor is even capable of turning 2D movies into 3D, so you can enjoy 3D movies at home!

Part 3: Download and Play YouTube Video

The VLC player allows you to stream online videos, for instance, YouTube videos, and download them to your local computer. Now let's see how to download a YouTube video with the VLC player.

Step 1. Launch VLC player. Go to the menu on top, choose Media > Open Network Streams.

Step 2. In the “Open media” dialog box, select the “Network” tab, and paste the URL of the YouTube video on it.

Step 3. Click on the “Play” button to play the video. Go to the menu, Tools > Codec Information. Copy the video file location at the bottom.

Step 4. Open a browser, paste the location info to the URL bar. Right-click on it and save it as a local file.

This is it, with a few steps you can easily save the YouTube video onto your computer using VLC. However, please be aware that this is a quick way for downloading video, and VLC doesn't offer extra options, for instance, video quality, size, etc. The video quality you get with VLC might be far from satisfactory and the download speed can't be guaranteed as well.

 

If you want to enjoy the video with the best quality and download it at the fastest speed, try Leawo Video Downloader, the most professional downloader on the block. Supporting 1000+ video sites, Leawo Video Downloader can help you successfully download videos from YouTube, Hulu, Facebook, and many more.

 

With Leawo Video Downloader, you can easily watch and save Comedy Central live streams onto your computer with the best quality possible. Twitch VOD keeps buffering and you don't know what to do? Simply use Leawo Video Downloader to save the videos and that's it!

 

Part 4: Record Screen with VLC

Whether you are going to share a gaming moment with friends or make a how-to tutorial, the VLC player can help you record the screen with simple steps. Just keep reading.

 

Step 1. Launch VLC player. Go to View > Advanced Controls to reveal more functions on the interface.

Step 2. Go to Media > Open Capture Device. In the panel, choose the “Capture Device” tab, and set the “Capture mode” to “Desktop.” Set the frame rate to “10fps” in desired frame rate.

 

Step 3. Click the Convert/Save button at the bottom. Click “Browse” to name your file and output directory. Click the “Save” button to proceed.

Step 4. Click the “Start” button to start recording.

That's all it takes to record a screen with the VLC player. Please note that VLC doesn't come with advanced features for screen recording, but it's enough if you want to make it quick.

 

Part 5: Listen to the Internet Radio Broadcast

Do you know you can even use VLC to play radio stations online? These audio sources are from online radios and most of them are free. Simply get the URL of the stream, like BBC or CNN, then you are good to go. Please note that these broadcast URLs generally end with .m3u or .pls.

Now you can stream online radio stations with VLC using the steps below

Step 1. Launch VLC. Go to the menu bar. Choose Media > Open Network Stream.

Step 2. In the “Network” tab, paste the URL of radio stations to the “Network Protocol.”

 

Step 3. Click the “Play” button or simply press Enter key.

Step 4. Now the VLC player will begin to play the online radio stations.

 

Part 6: Play Games with VLC

It may come as surprise, but you can play games with VLC. The media player is equipped with the hidden game - puzzle for you to have fun. You may play the game when watching videos. Here's how.

 

Step 1. Launch VLC player and open a video.

Step 2. Go to the menu, choose Tools > Effects and filters.

Step 3. In the popup panel,  go to the “Video Effects” tab and the “Geometry” tab, you'll see the option - Puzzle Game. Mark it.

Step 4. Enter a number to choose how many pieces of the puzzle you would like to have in the Rows and Columns box. Press the “Close” button to generate the puzzle game.

 

Part 7: Other Features in VLC

The VLC player is truly beyond your expectation for its powerful and comprehensive features. The features above are just part of it, and there's more to explore. With VLC player you can still enjoy a few features like:

Add logo to video

You can add a logo to the video with your VLC player, but the process is a bit complicated with command and coding. If you want to add a watermark/logo to your video quickly, check out how to add ifunny watermark to video with Leawo Video Converter.

Play DVD/Blu-ray

VLC supports many formats, and it allows you to play DVD and Blu-ray directly. However, it only supports the DVD/Blu-ray unencrypted. If you want to avoid the complicated decryption of region code, then Leawo Blu-ray Player is your best choice. Supporting all the formats, Leawo Blu-ray Player can let you play Blu-ray discs, DVDs, HD videos (4K), audio, BDAV movie folder, and Blu-ray ISO image files, and many more!

Stream to TV

You can make VLC streams to TV or other computers based on a local home network or internet. Want to know how? Check out how to make VLC stream to TV to learn more!

Wrap up

As a free and open-source media player, the VLC player is truly powerful that you deserve to collect. Yet it focuses more on video playback solutions. If you prefer a professional editor, try Leawo Video Downloader, which should cover all your needs for media editing.