Spotify
New features
Chord Charts
Instrumental videos
Meet and Greet
Plugged In: Extending Spotify for Musicians & Fans
Plugged In: Extending Spotify for Musicians & Fans
Plugged In: Extending Spotify for Musicians & Fans
Project Type
Project Type
Concept Product Design — Music App Feature
Concept Product Design — Music App Feature
Role
Role
Product Designer (UX Research, Interaction Design, UI Design)
Product Designer (UX Research, Interaction Design, UI Design)
Project overview
Project overview
Musicians are always bouncing between apps — listening to a song on Spotify, then hopping to YouTube or Ultimate Guitar to learn it. This back-and-forth breaks focus and kills the vibe.
Musicians are always bouncing between apps — listening to a song on Spotify, then hopping to YouTube or Ultimate Guitar to learn it. This back-and-forth breaks focus and kills the vibe.
Ideation
Ideation
The idea? — Build a plug-in inside Spotify where musicians can see chord charts, watch instrument tutorials by the actual artists, and even get early access to concerts and meet-and-greets — all in one place.
The idea? — Build a plug-in inside Spotify where musicians can see chord charts, watch instrument tutorials by the actual artists, and even get early access to concerts and meet-and-greets — all in one place.
Design process
Design process
Identified the gap
Identified the gap
Identified the gap
Streaming platforms are great for listening, but not for learning.
Streaming platforms are great for listening, but not for learning.
Streaming platforms are great for listening, but not for learning.
Spoke to real users
Spoke to real users
Spoke to real users
Musicians, learners, and fans who struggle with switching tools.
Musicians, learners, and fans who struggle with switching tools.
Musicians, learners, and fans who struggle with switching tools.
Sketched ideas
Sketched ideas
Sketched ideas
Started with low-fi wireframes to focus on flow.
Started with low-fi wireframes to focus on flow.
Started with low-fi wireframes to focus on flow.
Tested for real platform
Tested for real platform
Tested for real platform
Kept both Spotify and Apple Music interfaces in mind.
Kept both Spotify and Apple Music interfaces in mind.
Kept both Spotify and Apple Music interfaces in mind.
Tested and iterated
Tested and iterated
Tested and iterated
Based on feedback from a questionnaire
Based on feedback from a questionnaire
Based on feedback from a questionnaire
Final outcome
Final outcome
Final outcome
A plug-in concept that fits naturally into existing streaming apps.
A plug-in concept that fits naturally into existing streaming apps.
A plug-in concept that fits naturally into existing streaming apps.
Research goals
Research goals
Find out how often users switch apps while learning songs.
Find out how often users switch apps while learning songs.
Understand what tools musicians currently use (and what they hate about them).
Understand what tools musicians currently use (and what they hate about them).
Check if people would be into artist-led tutorials
Check if people would be into artist-led tutorials
See how many users are interested in exclusive event access from within a music app.
See how many users are interested in exclusive event access from within a music app.
User personas
User personas
The bedroom artist
The bedroom artist
The bedroom artist
Arjun,
Arjun,
Arjun,
21
21
21
India
India
India
Learns songs by ear or from Ultimate Guitar
Learns songs by ear or from Ultimate Guitar
Learns songs by ear or from Ultimate Guitar
Frustrated with jumping between apps
Frustrated with jumping between apps
Frustrated with jumping between apps
Wants something quick and distraction-free
Wants something quick and distraction-free
Wants something quick and distraction-free
Music teacher
Music teacher
Music teacher
Maya,
Maya,
Maya,
27
27
27
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Uses Spotify for class demos
Uses Spotify for class demos
Uses Spotify for class demos
Needs accurate chords and reliable tutorials
Needs accurate chords and reliable tutorials
Needs accurate chords and reliable tutorials
Would pay for professional, artist-approved content
Would pay for professional, artist-approved content
Would pay for professional, artist-approved content
Hardcore drummer & fan
Hardcore drummer & fan
Hardcore drummer & fan
Neil,
Neil,
Neil,
25
25
25
USA
USA
USA
Loves going to gigs and learning songs
Loves going to gigs and learning songs
Loves going to gigs and learning songs
Always looking for backstage content
Always looking for backstage content
Always looking for backstage content
Wants early access to tickets and tutorials by the band
Wants early access to tickets and tutorials by the band
Wants early access to tickets and tutorials by the band
Problem insight
Problem insight
Musicians don’t just listen to music — they study it. But platforms like Spotify don’t support that behaviour. Users end up juggling tabs, pausing songs, watching ads, or trying to figure out the right key. It’s clunky, time-consuming, and disrupts the learning flow.
Musicians don’t just listen to music — they study it. But platforms like Spotify don’t support that behaviour. Users end up juggling tabs, pausing songs, watching ads, or trying to figure out the right key. It’s clunky, time-consuming, and disrupts the learning flow.
Solution
Solution
A plug-in that lives inside your favourite streaming app. Here’s what it does:
A plug-in that lives inside your favourite streaming app. Here’s what it does:
Chord Charts in Real Time:
See official chords as the song plays — with a transpose option for your instrument.
Chord Charts in Real Time:
See official chords as the song plays — with a transpose option for your instrument.
Tutorials by the Artists:
Watch breakdowns of guitar, keys, bass, drums — straight from the people who made the track.
Tutorials by the Artists:
Watch breakdowns of guitar, keys, bass, drums — straight from the people who made the track.
Live Events + Meet & Greets
Get exclusive access to shows, merch, and backstage passes — right from the player.
Live Events + Meet & Greets
Get exclusive access to shows, merch, and backstage passes — right from the player.
Information Architecture
Information Architecture
Style Guide
Style Guide
#191414
#1DB954
#B3B3B3
#191414
#1DB954
#B3B3B3
#191414
#1DB954
#B3B3B3
Spotify mix Bold
Spotify mix Bold
Spotify mix Bold
Spotify mix Medium
Spotify mix Medium
Spotify mix Medium
Spotify mix Regular
Spotify mix Regular
Spotify mix Regular
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Low fidelity wirefreames
Low fidelity wirefreames
High fidelity wireframes - Mobile
High fidelity wireframes - Mobile
This plugin introduces three new features for fans and musicians:
This plugin introduces three new features for fans and musicians:
Fans and musicians can access chord charts for any song, and can transpose scales with different instruments and view lyrics with synced chords
Fans and musicians can access chord charts for any song, and can transpose scales with different instruments and view lyrics with synced chords
Step-by-step video tutorials recorded by band members, helping fans learn guitar, piano, and more — straight from the artists themselves.
Step-by-step video tutorials recorded by band members, helping fans learn guitar, piano, and more — straight from the artists themselves.
Exclusive ticketing feature that lets fans purchase meet & greet passes, book slots, and connect with their favorite artists before or after shows
Exclusive ticketing feature that lets fans purchase meet & greet passes, book slots, and connect with their favorite artists before or after shows
High fidelity wireframe - Desktop
High fidelity wireframe - Desktop
Wireframe showing default view here when the user selects chord charts or instrumental tutorials
Wireframe showing default view here when the user selects chord charts or instrumental tutorials
Wireframe showing drop down menu for transposing keys/scales
Wireframe showing drop down menu for transposing keys/scales
Wireframe showing chord charts expanded with lyrics to follow along to
Wireframe showing chord charts expanded with lyrics to follow along to
The Instrumental Tutorials section, showing categorized video lessons for different instruments.
The Instrumental Tutorials section, showing categorized video lessons for different instruments.