Spotify takes battle to Apple’s Beats 1 with ’In Residence’ feature

Spotify is taking the battle to Apple Music’s Beats 1 internet radio with a new feature called In Residence.

The Swedish service now features music and talk shows by Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones, Mike Skinner’s club outfit Tonga, Jungle and grime MC Big Narstie.

More human curators will be added, possibly including high profile names from traditional radio.

Unlike Beats 1, In Residence does not stream live but consists of pre-recorded podcasts updated each month for users to listen to at their leisure. How engaging this is, compared to the excitement of a live broadcast, remains to be seen.

Commentators say that the names associated with In Residence are hardly contenders of the big names as Pharrell Williams, Drake, Dr Dre, St Vincent, Elton John and Josh Homme who have shows on Beats 1. But it does encourage people to stay on at Spotify.