Spotify has announced its latest acquisition: an interactive music trivia game called Heardle.
Heardle was inspired by the word game Wordle, developed by software engineer Josh Wardle and sold to the New York Timesin January for a seven-figure sum.
Spotify hasn’t disclosed what it’s paying for Heardle.
While Wordle players are required to guess words by choosing letters, Heardle players are tasked with guessing a song based on its opening notes.
They get six guesses, with each hint giving a few more seconds of music to inform their next answer. Ultimately, they get a chance to discover the song in its entirety, whether or not they guessed it correctly.
Spotify says that Heardle is “more than a trivia game”, adding that it’s “also a tool for musical discovery”.
Spotify also says that for existing Heardle players, the look and feel of the game will stay the same, and it’ll remain free to play.
Additionally, effective today, players can listen to the full song on Spotify at the end of the game.
Looking ahead, Spotify says that there are “some exciting opportunities” to come for the trivia game and is starting today (July 12) with users in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
“Soon, hundreds of millions more people around the world will have the opportunity to play and enjoy the game in their native language”, added Spotify in its announcement.
Spotify is also planning to integrate Heardle and “other interactive experiences” more fully into Spotify.
“Heardle has proven to be a really fun way to connect millions of fans with songs they know and love and with new songs . . . and a way to compete with their friends as to who has the best musical knowledge.”
Jeremy Erlich, Spotify
Jeremy Erlich, Global Head of Music, Spotify, said: “We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans.
“Heardle has proven to be a really fun way to connect millions of fans with songs they know and love and with new songs … and a way to compete with their friends as to who has the best musical knowledge.
“Since its debut, the game has quickly built a loyal following, and it aligns with our plans to deepen interactivity across the Spotify ecosystem.”Music Business Worldwide
