Spotify Kids aims for next generation of audio listeners

Spotify Kids is the latest initiative from the streaming giant, being pitched as “a new standalone app for the next generation of listeners.”

It went live in beta in Ireland overnight (October 30) and arrives in Australia eventually as part of a global roll-out. Spotify Kids is only exclusive to Spotify Premium Family subscribers and intended for kids, ages 3 and older.

“Spotify is committed to giving billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by music and stories and we’re proud that this commitment now includes the next generation of audio listeners,” the service’s chief premium business officer Alex Norström told Spotify’s Official Blog.

“We are excited to be expanding the Spotify Premium Family experience with a dedicated app just for our youngest fans.

“Spotify Kids is a personalized world bursting with sound, shape and colour, where our young listeners can begin a lifelong love of music and stories.“

The app is full of singalongs, soundtracks and stories that children can explore, on their own or with their family, and gives kids access to their own playlists and accounts.

It is curated with privacy and parent monitoring in mind, so it has no ads. Parents can select the “Audio for Younger Kids” or “Audio for Older Kids” experience.

Explaining why the Spotify Kids app is launched in beta, the company stated:

“We acknowledge that having a standalone app specifically for young kids is a new space for Spotify, which is why we are launching this product as a beta — an approach that is quite common for new technology rollouts.

“We will expand the Spotify Kids app experience over time as we continue to incorporate best practices and learnings, including insights from parents and caregivers and other experts in this space.

“Finally, as Spotify is the world’s most popular audio streaming service, we will look to bring this expertise to the Kids app as we learn more in this space over time because we know that children love audio — stories, sounds and podcasts — going beyond music.”

Research released this week by US child entertainment monitoring firm Common Sense Media reported that the number of young (8 upwards) Americans watching online videos every day has more than doubled.

Viewing time of an hour a day is double that of four years ago. The report stated, “Kids’ media preferences are changing as new apps and sleeker technology make it easier to stay connected (and be entertained) wherever they go. “