Spotify has officially acquired WhoSampled, the community-driven database known for tracking sampled music, remixes, covers, and artist connections. The announcement was made Wednesday alongside Spotify’s unveiling of new song-credit features that will soon roll out to users.
The streaming giant confirmed the acquisition includes both the WhoSampled team and its expansive database. While deal terms remain undisclosed, industry data suggests WhoSampled operated with a small but highly specialized team of around 10 employees.
WhoSampled, founded in 2008 and based in London, has built one of the world’s most comprehensive catalogs of musical relationships. Its database includes over 1.2 million songs and nearly 622,000 documented samples, making it a powerful tool for music discovery, education, and research. Spotify will now leverage this data to power upcoming features, including its newly announced SongDNA discovery tool.
A Long-Standing Relationship Strengthened
The acquisition is not a sudden development; Spotify and WhoSampled have worked together before. The two companies partnered in 2016 to enable WhoSampled users to explore their Spotify playlists directly through the WhoSampled app. This collaboration laid the foundation for a deeper integration of WhoSampled’s unique data into Spotify’s listening ecosystem.
Also Read: Adobe Acquires Semrush for $1.9 Billion to Expand Its AI-Driven Marketing Ecosystem
In its announcement, WhoSampled emphasized that its platform and brand will continue operating independently even after the acquisition. Users can expect improvements to the site’s functionality and accessibility as it becomes part of Spotify’s broader infrastructure.
For example, submission moderation times are expected to speed up due to increased resources. Display ads on the website will soon be removed, enhancing the user experience. Additionally, the company’s mobile apps, previously paid, will become free downloads with free subscriptions in the coming weeks.
Shared Vision for Musical Context
The WhoSampled team expressed confidence in joining Spotify, highlighting both companies’ commitment to enhancing musical understanding. “We share a strong belief in the power of musical context, and a vision for helping listeners go deeper into the songs they love,” the team wrote in a statement posted Wednesday. They added that Spotify demonstrated genuine dedication to preserving and expanding WhoSampled’s mission.
Spotify’s investment reflects its growing focus on contextual music discovery, helping listeners understand not just what they’re hearing but where it came from, how it was created, and how it connects to broader musical history.
By bringing WhoSampled into its ecosystem, Spotify gains a rich layer of metadata that can deepen user engagement and enrich its forthcoming product features.
As streaming platforms compete to offer more immersive discovery tools, the acquisition signals Spotify’s push to lead in contextual listening experiences. WhoSampled’s detailed musical lineage database could soon become a core part of how millions of Spotify users explore the songs they love.
