Can mp3 Metadata on local mp3 files download to your device affect Spotify algorithm?
Let’s find out! I’m doing an experiment to see how the Spotify algorithm is affected by free mp3 downloads I am giving away on my website. How is an mp3 on my phone related to Spotify? “Show audio files from this device” is a setting in the Spotify app that allows Spotify to play the mp3 files you have purchased and downloaded to your phone or computer. I learned about this a while back when I purchased guided meditation mp3 downloads directly from the artist because the files were not available on Spotify. I wanted to be able to listen to both Spotify and the mp3 files I bought without having to switch to the audio player on my phone.
I found it works perfectly and shows all of the mp3 files I purchased right in my Spotify app as if it were part of Spotify. This is a great feature! If you have mp3 files that you want to be able to play within the Spotify app you can turn on the setting by reading further here https://support.spotify.com/us/article/local-files/
The “Show audio files from this device” feature in the Spotify app may be a valuable tool for independent artists. For example: if you as a musician, give away a free mp3 of one of your songs and the fan that downloads your from mp3 has the “show audio files from this device” turned on in the Spotify app, does the Spotify algorithm also see that the user has your mp3 on their phone? If the algorithm does include mp3 files from devices as a factor when determining plays and popularity of an artist then the more mp3 files you give away could improve your chances of the algorithm pushing your tracks out to more listeners on the platform. As I continue to give away mp3 files of my music I will post an update as I learn what affect this has on the Spotify algorithm.
Coffee & a Playlist 