Spotify’s new API terms restrict access from third-party apps

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Spotify has announced restrictions on third-party app developers, following a trend set by platforms like Reddit and YouTube. 

This comes a few days after the company added Gemini support to its app and announced new ways for video podcast creators to make money on the platform. 

These changes, detailed in a developer blog post, impact developers using Spotify’s data for AI-based applications. 

Spotify will no longer provide access to critical user data, such as the songs and artists its listeners favor or what’s popular among specific demographic groups. 

Spotify restricts third-party app access

The platform is revoking access to its advanced music analysis tools: Audio Analysis, which dissects a track’s rhythm and structure, and Audio Features, which detail attributes like a song’s energy level and acoustic quality.

The restrictions extend to Spotify’s algorithmically generated playlists, a cornerstone of the platform’s music discovery experience. 

Spotify has framed these changes as efforts to improve platform security.

However, they also conveniently eliminate external competition in the development of AI-powered music recommendation tools, an area in which the company says it has invested heavily in recent years.

The decision has sparked a backlash among developers who depended on these features.

One frustrated developer shared on Spotify’s community forum that their app’s progress is now stalled, as the revoked data was indispensable. 

They noted, “There is nowhere else to get data like this out there, so you’ve effectively just destroyed the last few months of work for me.” (via AndroidPolice)

Other developers have similarly expressed discontent, urging Spotify to reconsider or at least restore access once any security concerns are addressed.

This move mirrors broader trends in the tech industry, where platforms are tightening control over their ecosystems, often leaving developers scrambling to adapt or abandon projects entirely. 

For Spotify, the decision underscores a strategic shift to prioritize internal innovations, even at the expense of third-party development.

What do you think about Spotify’s API changes? Do you think this move is anti-competitive? Tell us your thoughts in the comments, down below, or reach us via our Twitter or Facebook.