Spotify has officially acquired WhoSampled, the platform that helps users identify samples, cover songs, and remixes. The company announced the move in a statement on WhoSampled's website on Wednesday. Along with it, they've already begun implementing several improvements.
"This marks an exciting new chapter in our journey - one where WhoSampled will not only continue to grow and improve, but also bring its unique flavor of music discovery to the world’s largest music streaming platform, used and loved by hundreds of millions of fans," the statement reads.
It continues: "Through our recent discussions with Spotify, it became clear that we share a strong belief in the power of musical context - and a vision for helping listeners go deeper into the songs they love. Spotify has shown a genuine commitment to our mission, and we couldn’t have found a better home for WhoSampled.
From there, WhoSampled confirmed that the site will continue operating as usual. "Importantly, the WhoSampled you know and love is here to stay as a standalone platform and brand. It will continue to operate much as it always has, powered by the passion of our incredible community of contributors around the world, and supported by multiple streaming integrations," the company says.
How Will WhoSampled Change Under Spotify?
By teaming up with Spotify, WhoSampled promises to improve in several specific ways. Firstly, they promise faster moderation. In turn, they note "waiting times for submissions will drop dramatically." Secondly, their app will now become free for all users. "Our iOS app is joining Android in becoming free to download, and in-app subscriptions on both platforms will soon be free for all users," the company explains. Lastly, there will be no more display ads.
WhoSampled concludes: "This is just the beginning. We’ll keep improving the WhoSampled experience and building exciting new features together with Spotify. We’re already working on innovative ways to explore music connections directly within Spotify, starting with SongDNA - an upcoming feature that will bring WhoSampled’s magic to hundreds of millions of listeners worldwide."
