Spotify has rolled out a new update, and the internet is having a field day. Supposedly meant to make your life easier, this update rolled out on January 10, 2025. The most noticeable changes are an enhanced visual layout with album art and swipe-to-delete functionality.
Cute, right? Well, not everyone thinks so.
One X user summed up the collective eye-roll with, “WHO asked for this??”
A user went on to equate it with Japan changing its flag in 1999.
Another user hit Spotify where it hurts, saying:
“Instead of changing the queue layout make the download song option free- 💀💀.”
Someone else chimed in, “I speak for everyone when I say We liked the old one.”
Then there’s the real MVP of shade: “We using Apple Music.”
“Can we STOP showing album arts in everything, it's so cluttery,” another user complained.
“Sometimes I feel companies do things out of boredom,” one user quipped.
Latest updates by Spotify
First up, let’s talk about the Enhanced Visual Layout with Album Art. Now, instead of just seeing the track names in your queue, you’re blessed with album art right next to each song.
Previously, users had to read song names but did not have the option to visually locate them. The new layout includes the presentation of album art right next to the track titles and artist names, which makes it recognizable at a glance.
The next thing we have is the swipe-to-delete functionality. In the update, the method by which people can manage the queue has become more intuitive by allowing the user to delete any song by swiping it left.
This simplification cuts in half the number of steps necessary to remove a song from a queue, a process that involves selecting the track and tapping a remove button at the bottom of the screen. Now you just swipe left and voilà—gone.
Then there is the reorganized controls. This new design will have a very modern and future-like look and feel with much bolder UI elements.
Shuffle, Repeat, and Timer buttons are relocated at the bottom of the screen for easier access to these controls. The play/pause button will now sit side by side with the current track in playback at the top of the queue.
However, this update also eliminated skip and rewind buttons from the queue interface, which can be quite inconvenient for users. Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?
More Spotify updates you'll like
Spotify has used sophisticated artificial intelligence to take personalization to the next level. In 2025, the service introduced AI-generated playlists that not only listen to the listener's habits but also respond to the user's mood, location, and even the time of day.
This means that playlists can change dynamically throughout the day, providing a listening experience that is uniquely personal.
For instance, it could be soothing music for the morning commute or a workout session.
Another is the Social Listening Experience. Social Listening 2.0 introduces users to the real-time sharing of music experiences with friends and family from anywhere in the world.
This feature allows live chat during group listening sessions, and users can share tracks and vote on what they want to hear next. You can now jam out with your besties in real time no matter where they are.
And for the audiophiles, High-Definition Audio is finally coming. In response to the growing demand for superior sound quality, Spotify is set to launch lossless, high-definition audio in 2025.