If your Friday Release Radar has been feeling a little hit or miss lately, Spotify just gave you the tools to fix that. The streaming platform is rolling out a set of new session controls to Release Radar globally today, available on both mobile and desktop. The update lets you shape what your weekly new music playlist looks like, instead of listening to whatever the algorithm serves up.
What can Spotify’s new Release Radar controls do?
At the top of your Release Radar playlist, you will now see a set of session controls you can tap before hitting play. You can choose up to five options depending on what kind of Friday listening session you are in the mood for.
Want to branch out? There is a “Discover new artists” option that focuses entirely on names you have not heard before. Prefer to stay in a specific sound? Three personalized genre options based on your own listening history let you narrow the playlist to a particular style. There is also an “Editors’ picks” option if you want Spotify’s team to take the wheel.
Beyond the controls, Spotify says it has also improved the underlying recommendations to make sure the tracks landing in your radar match your taste more closely than before.
The new look and where to find it
Release Radar is also getting a visual refresh with a new cover and header art, giving the playlist a cleaner, more polished feel to match the updated experience. The playlist itself reaches nearly 9 million listeners every week, making it one of Spotify’s biggest discovery tools.
You can find your updated Release Radar every Friday on the Fresh New Music shelf on the Spotify Home tab, or head to the Made For You hub anytime to pull it up.
If you have ever skipped past Release Radar because it felt too random, this update is worth a proper look. While you are at it, Spotify also finally lets you pin more than four items in your library.