Spotify now offers real-time listenership stats for artists

The updated app was unveiled on 24 September and includes a new home tab that provides insights into how to get the most out of releasing music on Spotify. The new app also makes it easier to switch between profiles for those managing a roster of artists.

"The app is your on-the-go companion to understand your audience and stats, learn how to get more out of Spotify, celebrate your new releases and milestones, and manage your profile,” Spotify said.

“The latest Spotify for Artists app continues to help you keep track of your new release with real-time listening stats for the first week after you go live. That means you can see how many listeners are playing your tracks across the world at any given moment. We’re also making it easier to track important milestones – from when you make it onto a playlist, to when you get new followers.”

The Spotify for Artists app was rolled out in 2017 to give musicians and their managers mobile access to detailed analytics about their music and fans.

The app provides insights about the most popular songs, how many streams an artist is getting, the geographical location of the listeners and the most popular playlists, which can assist artists to increase their fan base.

The app also allows artists to update their bios, post playlists and select a song that Spotify lets them display on their profiles.

The upgrade could be seen as the latest effort by the company to keep artists happy, especially after being on the receiving end of perpetual criticism that it pays out ungenerous royalties to artists. The company reportedly pays $0.00437 per play, slightly ahead of Amazon and way ahead of YouTube. It is also fighting a US royalty increase of 44% alongside Google, Pandora and Amazon – a move that has been blasted by various players in the music industry seeking better remuneration for creators.

Earlier this month, the streaming giant acquired SoundBetter, a music production and collaboration marketplace where musicians and audio professionals such as mixing engineers and producers can buy each other’s services.