Spotify's latest UI design change is driving people crazy

(Image credit: Spotify / Future)

We've addressed recently the risks of Spotify's new brand direction, but let's take a moment to talk about its UI. The streaming platform has introduced what could be one of the most unpopular UI design changes of the year after the controversial iPhone Photos App redesign.

The feature that people are taking issue with is Spotify's new Create button. And it appears to be another case of a tech company thinking people want AI in places where they don't.

spotify stop with the stupid updates first you take away the hearts and now im hitting some fuckass create button instead of my library. count your days. pic.twitter.com/LeWDMj0f7uNovember 19, 2024

Create what? you may be asking. Well, the new button allows users to create playlists, something we could do already, and something most people surely do less often than access their library. It appears the change is an attempt to push Spotify's AI playlist feature, perhaps to test if people will create AI playlists on the go.

As with many UI changes, it's probable that this is a live trial and that Spotify will be collecting data on how many people use the new button (and how many of the clicks are accidental, with the user not engaging with the playlist function afterwards). But a lot of users are finding it to be a frustrating experience, and they want consequences for the person responsible.

hey spotify i promise you there’s not a single person alive who wanted you to add this “create” button, get it out of here pic.twitter.com/KpuoRt8jF0November 19, 2024

Whoever updated Spotify and added that create tab at the end can go fuck themselves. You can’t fuck with a man’s instincts to tap the bottom right corner trying to get to my library.November 22, 2024

Whoever on the Spotify dev team thought of making a dedicated "create" button where the library button was, I hope you spontaneously explodeNovember 21, 2024

For your own UI design work, see our pick of the best UI design tools. For inspiration, see the new eBay UI and the new social media platform Cosmos.

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Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.