Spotify update will suggest related artists

Online streaming music service Spotify has released update 0.3.23, which most significantly adds a 'related artists' tab. The function suggests similar bands based on the current selection, not unlike similar features offered by competing services such as Last.fm and Pandora. Spotify says it developed the feature in-house, using millions of user listening hours to shape the recommendations.

Previously, services such as Spotibot were used to create artist recommendations using those in Last.fm. Spotify has allowed users to send data to Last.fm in the past for this purpose.

What appears to be a star-based rating system of some sort is also visible in the screenshot, though what it does exactly is thus far unknown.

The update should be sent out later this week to Spotify desktop users, though when it will be sent out to mobile clients running on Symbian, Android and iPhone devices is unknown. [via Pocket-Lint]