Spotify Running Mode expands to Android with new insights into how runners listen
Spotify’s personalised running feature has expanded to Android, while new data reveals the BPM, genres and cities proving most popular with runners.
Last month, Spotify launched Running Mode for Premium subscribers on iOS, creating personalised running sessions around a listener’s workout, pace and music taste. Now, the feature is expanding to Android users in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.
Alongside the Android rollout, Spotify has shared some early insights into how listeners are using Running Mode, from the music they choose to the tempos they set for their sessions.
What is Spotify Running Mode
Running Mode creates a personalised soundtrack around the type of run a listener wants to do. Users can choose a workout format, set a session length, pick a genre and adjust the tempo to suit their pace.
Spotify then builds a session around those choices, selecting music to match the energy and rhythm of the workout. There are also options for discovering new music, customising the prompt behind the playlist and adding audio coaching.
What’s new with Running Mode?
The biggest update is its expansion to Android, bringing Running Mode to more Premium subscribers just weeks after its initial iOS launch.
Spotify has also shared some early data on how people are using the feature, giving us a better idea of what runners are looking for from their personalised sessions.
One of the key findings is the popularity of 160 BPM. This is currently the most selected tempo in Running Mode’s Beat Matching setting, which lets runners choose a target BPM for their session.
Spotify says some users are opting for 170 to 180 BPM when aiming for a faster cadence. Once a target is selected, Running Mode chooses music to match it, with the option to adjust a song’s speed to maintain the chosen tempo or keep tracks at their original speed.
It’s an interesting example of Spotify using the characteristics of music to shape listening around a specific activity. Tempo might not be something most listeners think about when choosing what to stream, but it becomes much more relevant when the music is being used to support a particular pace.
What are runners listening to?
Spotify’s early data also gives us a glimpse at the genres proving most popular in Running Mode.
House and Rap are currently the top choices, followed by Rock, Hip Hop and Electronic.
These aren’t necessarily genres Spotify is prioritising within Running Mode. Listeners choose the type of music they want, and Spotify builds their session around those preferences.
There is also plenty of room for discovery. Users can adjust Running Mode towards new music rather than sticking with familiar favourites, potentially introducing them to artists they haven’t heard before.
Where is Running Mode most popular?
Spotify has also revealed its top 10 cities based on Running Mode usage:
- Washington, D.C.
- New York
- Boston
- San Francisco
- Chicago
- Charlotte
- Oakland
- Houston
- Milwaukee
- Austin
The list reflects Running Mode usage rather than the overall number of runners in each city, but it offers an early snapshot of where the feature is gaining traction.
With Android now bringing Running Mode to a wider audience, these trends could change as more listeners start using the feature.
What does Running Mode mean for artists?
Running Mode isn’t a new playlist submission opportunity, and Spotify hasn’t suggested that artists can influence which tracks are selected.
What it does show is another way Spotify is using personalisation to shape music discovery around specific activities. For artists, that means there are more contexts in which a track can potentially be heard without someone actively searching for it.
There’s no specific strategy for getting music into Running Mode. The important thing is simply having your catalogue available on Spotify and keeping your releases accessible to listeners as Spotify continues developing these personalised experiences.