Spotify Wants Listeners to Break Down Music Barriers

[Commentary] Spotify, which has just introduced a new version of its app, says that because online streaming services let us call up and listen to anything we like, and because its curated playlists push us toward new stuff, we are all increasingly escaping rigid genres.

Spotify says that its curated playlists, like this one for runners, mix and match songs from many genres. That trend looks sure to accelerate as streaming becomes ubiquitous. Spotify exposes listeners to one new artist every day. That is making listeners less beholden to music of certain styles and eras. Instead, many of us will try anything, just because we can easily sample it online. Spotify is betting that fixed musical genres will fade away. In its new version rolling out to iPhone users, the company has expanded its effort to program for moods and activities rather than merely certain kinds of musical tastes.