I Used AI to Analyze My Spotify and Discover Unsigned Bands That Match My Taste

Andrson's Innovative Music-Matching Algorithm: Discovering Unsigned Talent with ReWrapped

Andrson is revolutionizing music discovery with its cutting-edge music-matching algorithm designed to identify songs that mirror those you've already discovered. Initially tailored to help music labels scout new talent, its potential extends beyond that. Today, Andrson introduces ReWrapped, a feature that analyzes your favorite Spotify tracks and suggests sound-alike songs from its extensive roster of unsigned artists.

Before the age of social media, aspiring musicians relied on talent scouts, known in the industry as Artists & Repertoire (A&R), to help them gain recognition. Andrson now aims to streamline this process by using its algorithm to pinpoint future stars with remarkable efficiency.

For young singer-songwriters, simply uploading their tracks to Andrson's cloud allows the algorithm to identify established artists they most closely resemble. A connected A&R professional can then search for talent based on these existing hit acts—so if you're looking for the next Dua Lipa, the algorithm can find artists with similar sounds.

Co-founders Neil Dunne and Zach Miller-Frankel have revealed that the platform already hosts around 8,000 artists who have uploaded over 15,000 tracks. Users can specify their needs—whether seeking representation or looking to collaborate with other musicians. The algorithm analyzes about 600 features in each song, creating an “unbiased” audio fingerprint.

ReWrapped serves as an engaging introduction to Andrson’s music-matching capabilities for the general public. By scanning your Spotify Wrapped playlist—a year-end highlight enjoyed by over 90 million users at the end of 2020—the algorithm recommends songs that resonate with your listening habits.

After inputting my Spotify Wrapped data, the algorithm analyzed five tracks from my collection and provided three sound-alike suggestions from unsigned artists for each song. Additionally, a Spotify playlist consolidating all compatible tracks from Andrson's roster was generated, allowing for easy access—13 out of the 15 songs featured were available for streaming.

The algorithm’s approach takes a sample track and identifies similar sounds. For instance, Ninian Hawick’s "Scottish Rite Temple Stomp," a late '90s electro-pop gem, yielded three comparable electro-pop tracks. Similarly, White Denim’s "Magazin" prompted suggestions of guitar-driven pop songs that matched its vibe.

While the system holds promise, it's worth noting that the algorithm is limited to the songs within its database. For example, a mellow piano piece like Thom Yorke’s "Suspirium" elicited more of the same, matching it with other gentle piano tracks. Despite this, the ability to discover songs with similar audio profiles is impressive. However, personal taste dictates that not every similar-sounding song will resonate with every listener.

Overall, ReWrapped offers a fresh avenue for music exploration, introducing users to unsigned artists and expanding the music discovery process. With time and improvement, Andrson's algorithm is set to evolve, continually enhancing the way we find new music.