Spotify e “Descobertas da Semana”: recomendação algorítmica como substrato de construção do gosto musical

Alékis de Carvalho Moreira; Beatriz Polivanov

doi:10.15448/1980-3729.2025.1.46406

Authors

Alékis de Carvalho Moreira Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Niterói, RJ, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3739-128X
Beatriz Polivanov Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Niterói, RJ, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1289-6604

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15448/1980-3729.2025.1.46406

Keywords:

Platform Studies, Spotify, Recommender Systems, Discover Weekly Playlist, X/Twitter

Abstract

: From Platform Studies, we propose an analysis of the personalization processes established by Spotify through its playlist “Discover Weekly” in relation to its listeners. In addition to presenting how the platform defines the songs that will be included in the playlist, we analyzed the content of 2,215 tweets to understand what users say about these deliveries. Our results indicate that just over half of the posts (54.1% or 1,199 tweets) contain statements of self-recognition in the discoveries they make, 430 neutral tweets (19.4%), and 586 tweets (26.5%) that resist and challenge the model developed by Spotify, where such controversies complicate the notion of taste established by the platform. We conclude by pointing out that users adopt algorithmic logic as a constituent element in the elaboration of their own taste.

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Author Biographies

Alékis de Carvalho Moreira, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Niterói, RJ, Brazil.

Master's degree from the Postgraduate Program in Communication at the Fluminense Federal University (PPGCOM/UFF), in Niterói, RJ, Brazil; with funding from CAPES and the FAPERJ Nota 10 program. PhD candidate at PPGCOM/UFF, with CAPES funding. Associate Researcher at the Laboratory of Internet and Social Media Studies (NetLab/UFRJ).

Beatriz Polivanov, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Niterói, RJ, Brazil.

PhD and Master's degree from the Postgraduate Program in Communication (PPGCOM) of the Fluminense Federal University (UFF), in Niterói, RJ, Brazil; post-doctorate from the Department of Art and Communication History of McGill University, Canada; bachelor's degree in Literature and degree in Education from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Permanent professor at the PPGCOM and the Department of Cultural Studies and Media at UFF. Coordinator of the MiDICom research group (UFF/CNPq). Researcher with funding from FAPERJ and CNPq.

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