Stay Ahead: DSP & UGC Platform Updates May 2025

May brought a wave of discovery tools, fan-focused campaigns, and AI-powered innovations across major DSPs and UGC platforms. From Spotify’s pre-save Countdown Charts to SoundCloud’s TikTok integration and Qobuz’s new device-syncing feature, here’s what changed—and how music businesses can act on it.

Spotify

Spotify introduced a suite of new discovery features aimed at amplifying upcoming releases and putting fan engagement front and center. The new Upcoming Releases hub (now live on mobile) features two key sections:

• For You: personalized pre-save picks tailored to user behavior
• Top 10 Countdowns: a weekly chart of the most pre-saved albums globally, updated every Wednesday at 12 PM UTC

Artists with 5K+ monthly listeners can create Countdown Pages via Spotify for Artists to appear in the hub. This gives fans a destination for teaser content, merch, and a live countdown clock.

Spotify also rolled out smarter playlist controls:

• Snooze lets Premium users mute a track from recommendations for 30 days
• Updated Hide Button hides tracks across all devices
• “Build from Likes” allows instant playlists filtered from your liked songs

What to do next:

• Activate Countdown Pages early to build momentum
• Sync campaign pushes with Spotify’s 12 PM UTC refresh

• Use Spotify Clips for pre-release engagement

  🔗 Create a Countdown Page in Spotify for Artists

Apple Music & Shazam

Apple Music is piloting a library transfer tool in Australia and New Zealand, allowing users to bring their full playlist history and library from other DSPs. It’s a small but meaningful update that could help reduce churn and retain followers as fans switch platforms.

Meanwhile, Shazam has launched Viral Charts, a new way to track the fastest-growing songs globally—based not on streams or sales, but on how quickly people are identifying tracks using Shazam. Songs are ranked by weekly growth in Shazams, with discovery spikes acting as the core signal. The charts are updated daily and available across 42 countries, plus a global Top 50. They highlight everything from emerging viral hits to older catalog tracks gaining renewed attention through TV syncs, TikTok trends, or cultural moments. For artists, it’s a powerful indicator of breakout momentum—whether it’s a new release taking off or a back-catalog gem finding fresh life.

What to do next:

• Encourage fans to Shazam your music during campaign peaks, sync placements, or premieres, and keep an eye on chart trends to catch early traction across regions.

🔗 Global Shazam Viral Chart

YouTube & YouTube Music

YouTube expanded its Foundry program, adding micro-grants and global reach campaigns to support the next wave of independent artists. New billboard placements in Times Square, Leicester Square, and São Paulo amplify reach beyond the screen.

The new Foundry Rising tier targets emerging talent earlier in their journey, helping them launch channels and grow audiences.

What to do next:

• For early-stage acts, apply for Foundry Rising support

• Prioritize short-form storytelling and video-based music strategies

  🔗 About YouTube Foundry

TikTok is launching its seasonal #SongOfTheSummer campaign starting June 1. Tracks using the hashtag will be considered for editorial placement in TikTok’s UK Summer Hits playlist. The campaign runs through August with an official reveal of top viral anthems near season’s end.

What to do next:

• Line up TikTok content and influencer challenges to support summer singles

• Use the hashtag #SongOfTheSummer consistently across posts

  🔗 TikTok Music Campaigns

SoundCloud

SoundCloud launched several new initiatives to enhance fan engagement and creator support:

• The library import tool lets users transfer playlists and likes from Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and others
• A new Add to Music App integration with TikTok allows fans to save TikTok tracks directly to SoundCloud
• The #1000BPMRemix campaign with Laidback Luke encourages emerging producers to remix his latest release using exclusive stems

What to do next:

• Opt into “Add to Music App” features for better TikTok exposure

• Share remixes or launch your own creator contest using SoundCloud stems

  🔗 What’s New on SoundCloud – May 2025

Amazon Music

Amazon Music rolled out Explore, an AI-powered discovery tool currently in beta for select U.S. subscribers. Explore surfaces artist influences, collaborations, and musical highlights based on fan searches—offering a deeper, more editorial-driven dive into artist worlds.

This complements Amazon’s AI playlist tool, Maestro, which lets fans generate playlists using natural language prompts.

What to do next:

• Ensure your artist pages and metadata are accurate to feed better Explore results

• Refresh your visual and written bios to align with discovery surfaces

  🔗 Explore & Maestro Overview

Bandcamp

Bandcamp Playlists (Beta) have arrived. Fans can now curate and share playlists built exclusively from music they’ve purchased on Bandcamp—bringing a new layer of personal curation and artist support to the platform.

Playlists are available via the mobile app, with web-based features on the way. Unpurchased tracks are stream-limited, nudging listeners to buy to continue.

What to do next:

• Encourage your fans to build and share Bandcamp playlists featuring your work

• Consider bundling tracks or launching themed promotions to drive ownership

  🔗 Bandcamp Playlist Beta Info

Qobuz

Qobuz Connect is the new streaming control feature from the high-resolution platform, designed to simplify device-switching and enhance playback continuity. Users can now:

• Stream to compatible Hi-Fi devices directly from the Qobuz app
• Switch between headphones and speakers without interrupting playback
• Control desktop playback from mobile (and vice versa)

It’s a seamless way to stay in high-resolution audio mode across environments—no third-party apps required.

What to do next:

• If you distribute to Qobuz, highlight compatibility with Connect and high-res availability in your promo

• Recommend Qobuz to Hi-Fi audiences for premium sound and editorial focus

  🔗 Qobuz Connect Announcement

Stay Ahead, Stay Informed

DSPs and creator platforms are evolving rapidly—from AI discovery tools to smarter device syncing and remix campaigns. Whether you’re managing a catalog or preparing for a new drop, understanding these platform shifts helps you reach more fans, earlier and smarter.

We’ll be back next month with another roundup to keep you one step ahead.