- Deezer is rolling out four new features between now and the end of May
- They include new customization options for algorithms and the interface
- My Deezer Month and unique Universal Sharing are also coming
Well then, Spotify still down? Parisian rival Deezer picked a cute moment to unveil a quartet of new features coming to its music streaming platform, didn’t it?
Deezer is clearly on a mission, not just to provide a Wrapped and Replay answer in the shape of My Deezer Month, coming in May, but to enable its users to express themselves and connect with others through music – whichever of the best music streaming services they’re pinging you a track from.
Always subscribe to Spotify because it’s the one your friends use? You’re about to get another option.
Alexis Lanternier, CEO of Deezer, said: “At Deezer, we are constantly innovating to offer the most personalized and customizable music experience on the market. The new features we’re introducing today give users more control over their algorithm, greater flexibility to personalize their experience, and easy ways to share content with their friends, even beyond Deezer. We want to keep surprising fans with new and engaging ways to experience music.”
What of the four brand-new features? Let’s get into it…
Deezer’s new features: let’s get granular
The four-pronged suite of updates Deezer is bringing is as follows:
More control over the algorithm
Deezer tells me 40% of music streamers are either 34 or younger (well don’t I feel old?) and the message is clear: they want better control over the algorithm. Deezer has already evolved its Flow feature to let users influence their algorithm-delivered recommendations over the years (including ‘like’ buttons), but starting in April, Deezer is launching an algorithm customization feature that it claims puts users “fully in control” of their music discovery. For the first time in music streaming, Deezer tells me users get to tweak their recommendations algorithm without restriction.
During an online briefing, Lanternier showed off what he jokingly calls Deezer’s new personalized “nightmare section” within every user’s personal account: all of the bands you have disliked and a timeline of what you shunned, and when. Don’t like it? You’ll no longer be sent tracks from those artists, or similar tracks to the one you listened to and hated. Apple Music offers vaguely similar ‘favorite’ (star) and ‘suggest less’ (thumbs-down) buttons for tracks, but it’s nothing like this.
Enhanced personalization of the interface
The Deezer app is becoming even more customizable. Starting in May, users will be able to organize the Favorites tab for quick access to their preferred content, creating a truly personalized space. They’ll also have the option to customize their playlist covers by adding photos, shapes, and stickers – remodeling the app to fit their personality. During the demo we were shown how to create a cover – think emoji stickers like suns, sunglasses and maybe a drink, a colorful background and a title like ‘Summer 2025 Ibiza’ maybe. (Lucky you, by the way…)
New stats to discover and share your musical identity
Building on its annual recap, My Deezer Year, Deezer is launching My Deezer Month. And let’s not mince words: this builds on the mixed successes of Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay (which was vastly better than Wrapped late last year). Starting in early May, users will receive fresh stats – including most listened-to songs, artists, genres – and a detailed breakdown of their activity, all presented in a “unique and engaging way” every month. Yes, we have heard of this before, but just wait…
Share your music beyond Deezer
Coming late April, Deezer is introducing a next-level approach to music sharing, and one that transcends your streaming platform. With a universal sharing link, Deezer tells me users will be able to send their favorite tracks to friends and family who are using other streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music). The launch builds on Shaker, another unique Deezer feature that allows subscribers to create playlists with their community, even with friends who are not on Deezer – but come on! It’s huge, no?
At a time when there’s still no official sign of Spotify HiFi, Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz‘s hi-resolution streams have become ever-more tempting options. Deezer’s audio file resolution still tops out at CD-quality, aka 16-bit/44.1kHz, (better than Spotify, not as good as the best offerings from Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music) but music I can send to a friend, safe in the knowledge that they’ll be able to open and enjoy it, even if they’re used to lowly Spotify streams? That is huge – and a big reason to switch.
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becky.scarrott@futurenet.com (Becky Scarrott)
