User Experience Research on Spotify for Artists

Spotify for Artists is a platform designed to empower musicians by offering tools to manage their music, analyze audience behavior, and promote their brand. At first glance, it seemed intuitive that artists directly manage their profiles. However, deeper research revealed a different story: only agencies or labels representing artists have access to this platform, not individual artists themselves. This discovery reshaped the direction and depth of the research, making the journey both challenging and rewarding.

Initial Assumptions Initially, the project was rooted in the belief that artists independently manage their presence on Spotify for Artists. The idea was to design an intuitive and artist-friendly user interface (UI) that could enhance the platform's usability. However, this assumption was quickly disproven during the research phase.

Reaching Out to Pakistani Artists To gain first-hand insights, I contacted several Pakistani singers, seeking their experience with Spotify for Artists. The goal was to understand their pain points, workflows, and expectations. Surprisingly, many artists revealed that they do not directly interact with Spotify for Artists. Instead, their agencies or labels manage their accounts. This insight was a turning point in the research.

Collaborative Effort with an Artist Among the many artists I contacted, one provided comprehensive access to their Spotify for Artists account and shared valuable information about the platform’s usage. This collaboration allowed me to:

Research Outcomes The research uncovered several critical aspects:

Based on the research, I proposed design solutions to address the gaps between agencies and artists:

Simplified Artist Dashboard A dashboard tailored for artists, featuring:

This project was a transformative experience that expanded my understanding of the complexities of artist-agency relationships within the music industry. The research process challenged my initial assumptions and required persistence, as gaining insights directly from industry professionals was not easy. However, the insights gained have significant implications for improving platforms like Spotify for Artists, particularly in empowering artists with more direct control and understanding of their careers.