"Related artists" - how do Spotify decide what artists are related to a specific artist?

[Terkel_Mohl]

Spotify has a number of great features - (I love the "show lyrics" feature, by the way).

I would like to know how the "related artists" works: What - or who determines what artists are related to one another? What if I find an artist whom I find has much more resemblance to another artist, but this artist does not figure under "related artists"? Is there someone I can write to in order to suggest related artists are these lists automatically generated?

Thank you for a great service,

Terkel

[herrkoepke]

it seems like spotify takes its "related artists" from lastfm. Its completely bogus, The artists "related" to Nicky Holland include someone who makes instrumental music for news casts as well as two artist that sing in polish only!? Nicky worked with Tears for Fears, Tina Turner, Lloyd Cole and Oleta Adams and is regularly compared to singer songwriters like Aimee Man, Basia, Everything but the Girl and Lisa Loeb. Nowhere else but on last FM do these "related" artists show up. Very odd, none of them are in the same playlists Nicky is being played on either.

[drumtraveller]

This does not make sense because even before you create a playlist which might take some time, Spotify labels you with other artists or stlyes which in some cases can be totally out. 

It would be better to say nothing and mention that there are "no related artists at this time" whilst providing the opportunity to create a playlist over the course of time. 

When that is done, then you can build up a profile for related artists. 

[senturko]

We are a new band with a freshly released album. Spotify first linked our band with another artist in another country with the same name but then seperated us from it. However, related artists remain still the same. We make alternative rock but all related artists are from another continent with unrelated music, language at all. And the only solution they can offer is to make a playlist!!! It makes no sense...

[herrkoepke]

I have to think that the whole related artist thing is a work in progress and that its relying on playlist analysis

[drumtraveller]

If it's based on playlist analysis then Spotify have compared my band to the wrong genre and style!!. Their systems are far too slow it would seem to recognise correctly "related artists"

[senturko]

For band who have very few followers on Spotify it makes even more difficult to be discovered since they can only be accessed directly from the main artist page; if they can be discovered at all. 

[herrkoepke]

You are right and I can only assume that they will get to it eventually. My artists playlist began to drive the "related artist" section after several thousand plays,

Peter

[starkd]

This is so annoying to be fair...

Im a electronic music producer and DJ and all the related artists in my personal page are death metal... hahahaha I don’t get it!!! 

Anyway... if Spotify won’t fix it what am I suppose to do? 

[solipsism]

I don't know. I gave up on this long long ago. I don't think it will ever
be sorted, it's really making me consider withdrawing my premium
subscription.

[drumtraveller]

For grass root artists and little support with key outlets it's near impossible to self promote yourself....Without serious backing and industry firepower, the likely hood of generating a following or industry recognition is slim. The least Spotify could do is get things set up correctly at base level....."related artists" is one of very few introductions to a new artists page.....they should get it right. It's not rocket science.....

[solipsism]

Ya, I gave up on this loooong ago.

[abolques]

Agreed! I am hugely affected by this. I am a reggae/ska/junglist artist and my music keeps getting categorized with rock music. 

- Exodus https://open.spotify.com/artist/4z9oxA6YVJo7cXZF6I0IL8

[venxs]

This is my page, please follow and listen.

I haven't gotten related artists yet but the artist on my list should be:

Halsey

Lana Del Rey

Sabrina Claudio

H.E.R

BORNS

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0AWaJ0fGoOLU2zcKkctrmR?si=N7jt3S5jSJGkkfAI3hYrRQ

[FuelCell12]

Actually sounds like an interesting playlist, imo

[user-removed]

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4QE5VL3btwxyYpS63Ng40w

[JessicaHicks]

There have been times when I would have Related Artists but most of them are Rappers, and my music is Classical, and New Age, I don't understand the affiliation. Now I have no Related Artists. Spotify needs to get this figured out.....Very Frustrating.

[MattSuda]

Hey @Terkel_Mohl 

Spotify has a new article that goes into detail on how Fans Also Like (previously called Related Artists) works and how the artists are chosen to be displayed.

Check it out: https://artists.spotify.com/blog/how-fans-also-like-works

[Traviswoolston]

To be fair, Exodus isn't really something you'd associate with anything but Metal. That must be frustrating though.

[blasferrari]

I understood a lot more about realted artists after reading this article!

https://artists.spotify.com/blog/how-fans-also-like-works

[asciismoke]

I also just found that none of Metallica's related artists link back to them! Almost like someone at Spotify Towers doesn't like Metallica 😏🤫