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Spotify ‘Storyline’ Let’s Artists Tell Stories Behind Their Songs Instagram Style

Spotify is widely testing its own version of Instagram Stories for musicians and songwriters. "Storyline" provides curated commentary about each song running slideshow-style as the song plays

,   and  Bruce Houghton
Spotify newSpotify is widely testing its own version of Instagram Stories for musicians and songwriters. "Storyline" provides curated commentary about each song running slideshow-style as the song plays 

Spotify Tests ‘Storyline’ – a Snapchat-Style Stories Feature Offering Additional Artist Content https://t.co/z7gwyGF1eW by @waxeditorial pic.twitter.com/f4fNHyltJp

— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) May 14, 2019

Currently available to a limited group artists, Spotify's Storyline borrows from both the Genius app, which is already available within Spotify as "Behind The Lyrics" and the image slide shows of Instagram and Facebook Stories. Android Police found Storylines for Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker” and Billie Eilish (“Bad Guy,” “Bury a Friend,” “When the Party’s Over,” “Wish You Were Gay”). Techcrunch added MAX’s “Love Me Less.” Plus, Reddit users claim to have seen on it 2 Chainz’ “Forgiven,” The Beaches’ “Snake Tongue.”We found an active "Storyline" for Maggie Rogers "Light On."  While playing the song, timed images with text ran slideshow style underneath the play button.

With Storyline, Spotify is testing its own version of Genius’ "Behind the Lyrics" https://t.co/XffRPIKfsS pic.twitter.com/iLV6PcxawO

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 13, 2019

Some artists have been critical of the accuracy of Spotify's current lyric annotations.

@spotify hi. for about a yr now my band’s mgmt has tried get yall to take down some… outdated… facts on behind the lyrics for our song “Hard Times”.
the facts are: it’s all embarrassing & there was no “bright side”… hence the title, Hard Times.
thank you & goodnight.

— hayley from Paramore (@yelyahwilliams) April 24, 2019

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