Spotify dropped a surprise acquisition that music nerds everywhere are celebrating. The streaming giant just bought WhoSampled, the go-to platform for tracking samples, covers and musical connections.

Plus, they’re rolling out a new feature called SongDNA that puts all this context right inside Spotify. So you can finally settle those “wait, I know that beat from somewhere” debates without leaving the app.

What SongDNA Actually Does

SongDNA lives in your “Now Playing” view on Spotify Premium. It reveals the DNA of any track you’re listening to.

Think of it as a musical family tree. The feature shows collaborators, samples and covers all connected in one place. So you can trace how songs influence and build on each other.

Take Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA. SongDNA reveals Carter Lang and two other composers worked on it. But here’s the cool part: it also shows the track samples Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” and links to a Japanese cover by Rainych.

That’s context most listeners never knew existed. Yet it completely changes how you hear the song once you know those connections.

WhoSampled Built Something Worth Buying

SongDNA reveals collaborators, samples and covers all connected in one place

WhoSampled spent years building a massive database. Over 1.2 million songs tracked. More than 622,000 samples documented. Plus covers, remixes and artist connections all mapped out.

Their mobile app works like Shazam but for sample detection. Play a song and it tells you what’s been sampled, covered or remixed. Music producers and hip-hop heads have relied on it for years.

London-based WhoSampled already partnered with Spotify before. Users could access their Spotify playlists directly through WhoSampled’s platform. So this acquisition makes sense as a natural next step.

The Platform Isn’t Going Anywhere

Good news for existing WhoSampled users. The standalone platform stays operational after the deal closes.

In fact, it’s getting better. WhoSampled promised faster moderation times for new submissions. They’re also eliminating display ads and making mobile app downloads and subscriptions free.

Both the team and database transfer to Spotify. But the WhoSampled brand continues as its own thing. That’s rare in tech acquisitions where companies usually get absorbed and shut down.

“Through our recent discussions with Spotify, it became clear that we share a strong belief in the power of musical context,” the WhoSampled team wrote. Neither company disclosed financial terms of the deal.

Musical family tree showing samples covers and collaborators connected

Another Feature: About the Song

Spotify isn’t stopping at SongDNA. They’re also working on swipeable cards called “About the Song” in your Now Playing view.

These cards reveal three types of context. First, the inspiration behind a track. Second, how the music was actually created. Third, the cultural impact it had.

All information links back to original sources. So you’re not just reading Spotify’s take on a song’s significance. You can verify the details yourself.

This feels like Spotify trying to become more than a jukebox. They want to be the place where you learn about music, not just listen to it.

Why Sample Tracking Matters Now

Hip-hop and electronic music lean heavily on samples. Modern pop borrows constantly from older tracks. Yet most streaming platforms treat songs like isolated islands.

That’s changing. Knowing what influenced a song helps you discover more music you’ll like. Plus, it gives credit to artists whose work gets sampled but might not get proper recognition.

Spotify acquired WhoSampled database to power SongDNA feature integration

WhoSampled’s database makes this possible at scale. Manual tracking would be impossible for Spotify’s 100 million song catalog. But automated tools combined with WhoSampled’s existing data could work.

For artists, proper sample attribution also matters legally and financially. Samples require licensing deals and royalty splits. Better tracking helps ensure everyone gets paid.

The Streaming Wars Get Smarter

Spotify faces fierce competition from Apple Music, YouTube Music and others. Sound quality alone won’t differentiate platforms anymore.

So Spotify is betting on context and discovery. They’re building tools that help you understand what you’re hearing, not just play it. Features like SongDNA and Spotify Wrapped focus on the story behind the music.

This acquisition also shows Spotify values specialized music knowledge. WhoSampled built something unique that took years to create. You can’t replicate that database overnight.

Whether this moves the needle for subscribers remains unclear. But for music enthusiasts who care about samples and influences, it’s a genuine upgrade to the platform.

Spotify Premium users should see SongDNA rolling out soon. Free tier users will probably wait longer or get a limited version. That’s how Spotify typically handles new features.

Post Title: Spotify Buys WhoSampled: New SongDNA Feature Explained

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