On Wednesday (November 18), Spotify quietly announced a major move to deepen your music listening experience: the acquisition of the London-headquartered music database, WhoSampled. For years, WhoSampled has been the go-to resource for discovering which songs sample, cover, or remix other tracks, connecting the dots of music history. Now, this rich data is set to be woven directly into the world’s largest music streaming platform.
Unlocking the Song’s DNA
The core goal of this acquisition is to enrich the information surrounding the millions of tracks available on Spotify. The biggest announced feature is the upcoming ‘SongDNA’ function for Premium users, which Spotify stated will be “powered by WhoSampled, which is now part of Spotify.” SongDNA is described as an interactive feature that maps connections between songs via collaborators, samples, and covers. This represents a significant enhancement to the data available, which also includes expanding song credits to feature session musicians, engineers, and other contributors, who have often been left out. Spotify is also planning to roll out ‘About the Song’ cards, providing in-depth info about a track’s origins and inspiration.
A Strategic Move for the Future of Audio
This move fits perfectly into Spotify’s long-term strategy of expanding its audio universe beyond basic music playback. The company has a history of strategic purchases, including podcast giants like Gimlet Media and Anchor, audiobook distributor Findaway (2021), and even AI-focused companies like Sonantic and Kinzen (2022). By integrating WhoSampled’s comprehensive database—which indexes over 1.2 million songs—Spotify is cementing its position as a central hub not just for listening, but for learning about music. As WhoSampled Founder Nadav Poraz (who will now serve as Head of WhoSampled at Spotify) noted, the deal marks an exciting new chapter: “one where WhoSampled will not only continue to grow and improve, but also bring its unique flavor of music discovery to the world’s largest music streaming platform…”
What It Means for WhoSampled Fans
While the WhoSampled database is being integrated into Spotify, the standalone app will continue to function—and it’s getting an upgrade for its loyal users. The company announced that its iOS app is now free to download, and existing in-app subscriptions on both iOS and Android will be made free. Furthermore, the platform is set to become ad-free in the coming weeks. Ultimately, this acquisition signals that your favorite music streaming platform is about to get a whole lot smarter, turning every listening session into a deep dive into music history and collaboration.
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