Spotify Adding Feature That Lets You Block Artists From Playlists, Radio Stations, and More

Monday January 21, 2019 4:43 AM PST by Mitchel Broussard
Spotify will soon launch a "don't play this artist" feature in its iOS app, which will allow subscribers to block an entire artist from playing across the app (via The Verge). This means that you won't hear their songs in your library, Spotify playlists, chart lists, and radio stations.

Image via Thurrott

The feature is in testing right now, and it currently works on the artist's own songs but does not extend to collaborations. The feature is found in the ellipsis menu on an artist's page, and will sit alongside options like Follow, Share, and Go to radio.

A specific release date for the launch of the block feature has not yet been announced, but during its test of the update Spotify told The Verge it would be coming "soon." Artist and song blocking is a feature that many users have been asking for in both Spotify and Apple Music, and so far Apple has not yet announced a similar update for its streaming music service.

Tag: Spotify
60 comments


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keysofanxiety
9 months ago
I'd be interested if Apple implemented this. "Hey Siri, block all R&B from Beats 1."

*static plays when turning on radio*
Rating: 25 Votes
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kstotlani
9 months ago
Is this for R Kelly?
Rating: 15 Votes
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bladerunner2000
9 months ago
Every top 40 artist would end up in my blocked list starting with Justin Bieber.
Rating: 11 Votes
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AlumaMac
9 months ago
I wish Apple Music would implement this considering as much as I tell them I 'dislike' a suggested artist they keep recommending them.
Rating: 10 Votes
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TwoBytes
9 months ago
Why the HELL won't Apple do this? Their 'smart' and recommended playlists are full of hate. No matter how much I dislike a genre or artist it STILL appears in my new music mix.

While they are at it, I need a playlist that will give me new tracks from artists I added to my library..... like Spotify. I think I need to switch back..

WAIT!!

These features are coming in the Apple Music 2019 upgrade. ....they are only charging a premium tier of $9.99 extra a month for this feature.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Mr. Donahue
9 months ago
This is game changing. I like this idea a lot. If Apple Music doesn’t implement this I miiiiiiiiiiight just switch to Spotify
Rating: 5 Votes
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ignatius345
9 months ago
Goodbye Ed Sheeran
Rating: 4 Votes
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jardinager
9 months ago

Help me understand something: for years, until today*, Spotify didn’t have this feature, now people are furious that Apple Music doesn’t have it?

Don’t get me wrong; I’d like this feature, too. Or even just a “Block Maroon 5” rule; no configuration, just a rule dedicated to banishing that one band.

* And only in beta, at that.


It’s very easy to understand. Those of us that have been Apple customers since the early 1980’s insist that Apple rise above the rest. It’s the expectation of excellence and innovation. Apple charges premiums on every product and service they sell, so I expect and demand those products and services to be excellent; better than the rest.

I’m still a subscriber, but Apple Music is anything but excellent. Why the hell has Apple not spent some time developing new features like Spotify is testing? You can sure as hell bet they will copy the feature if Spotify deploy this to the public.

The only way to get Apple to innovate and change these days is either by way of litigation and/or a threat to their bottom line. They are no longer trying... at anything. The are literally phoning every damn thing they do in.
Rating: 3 Votes
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ArtOfWarfare
9 months ago

Why the HELL won't Apple do this? Their 'smart' and recommended playlists are full of hate. No matter how much I dislike a genre or artist it STILL appears in my new music mix.

While they are at it, I need a playlist that will give me new tracks from artists I added to my library..... like Spotify. I think I need to switch back..

WAIT!!

These features are coming in the Apple Music 2019 upgrade. ....they are only charging a premium tier of $9.99 extra a month for this feature.


Why haven't you switched back? I tried Apple Music's free trial for about 3 hours before getting fed up with how inferior it was to Spotify and switched right back.

I expect this feature is mainly going to be used to block major artists, which will result in a drop in their revenue and maybe them choosing to retaliate by pulling off of Spotify entirely. Then people who like the artist will switch services...

We'll see what happens.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Mayostudent
9 months ago
My vinyl collection very rarely plays something I didn’t choose.
Rating: 3 Votes
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