Apple Music serves as a viable alternative to Spotify, yet it has consistently trailed behind in a pivotal aspect of music streaming: personalized recommendations. Spotify enthusiasts have commended the platform’s algorithmic prowess in delivering relevant music suggestions, and those who’ve experienced both services often agree that Apple Music falls short in this regard. To their merit, Apple has been diligently addressing this concern. Their most recent endeavor to narrow this disparity is the introduction of Discovery Station.
What is Apple Music’s Discovery Station?
Discovery Station introduces a novel algorithmic playlist designed to present tracks akin to those within your Apple Music library. Its distinctiveness lies in exclusively showcasing previously unheard music, setting it apart from all other playlists on the platform. If you’ve found yourself caught in the cycle of replaying the same songs, Discovery Station offers an effortless method to broaden your musical horizons.
Personally, I find it appealing. As someone constantly seeking fresh tunes across diverse genres, Discovery Station significantly enriches my music exploration journey.
For Spotify users transitioning to Apple Music, this feature closely resembles Spotify’s “Discover Weekly,” which curates a weekly-updated playlist for discovering new tracks. Discovery Station, similarly driven by algorithms, automatically adjusts its content according to your musical preferences.
However, when compared to Spotify’s counterpart, Discovery Station is missing one feature: it doesn’t provide a comprehensive list of songs within the playlist. Instead, it shows only one upcoming track, necessitating continuous listening to unveil the remaining selections.
How can I try Discovery Station?
Locating Discovery Station within the Apple Music app isn’t immediately apparent. To find it, navigate to the Listen Now tab and swipe right under Top Picks until you come across it. This feature is being gradually introduced worldwide, so if you don’t spot it right away, a bit of patience may be necessary until it surfaces on your device.
While Discovery Station offers commendable recommendations, it’s inevitable that it might suggest songs that don’t align with your preferences. In such instances, access the Music app and tap the mini player to expand it. This action will unveil the album artwork along with the song’s name beneath it. Proceed by tapping the three-dots icon adjacent to the song’s name, then choose “Suggest Less.” This action informs the algorithm that you’d prefer to receive fewer recommendations similar to the song in question.
Apple Music is still trailing Spotify
Despite this new addition, Apple Music still has room for improvement in its music recommendation capabilities. The Listen Now tab showcases numerous appealing choices; however, Spotify goes a step further by offering a minimum of five Daily Mix playlists that update automatically each day. Moreover, Spotify features a Release Radar playlist that spotlights new music deserving of your attention.
If Apple Music’s generated playlists haven’t been meeting your expectations, our guide on crafting personalized algorithmic smart playlists can be of assistance. This guide empowers you to create playlists tailored to your preferences without requiring any coding skills. It’s a quick process, taking around 10 minutes. Alternatively, if that seems like too much effort, you can swiftly transfer your cherished Spotify playlists to Apple Music.