Loud volume ads

[andtherainfall]

I'd like to report seeing this issue in a number of ads in the Mexico City market. The ad volume is disproportionately higher in comparison with the volume of any music I might have been listening to. The main culprits in this case are a couple of ads by Citibanamex promoting two forthcoming shows in the city (Florence + the Machine and Billy Idol). I'm attaching screenshots below. Although right now I'm only reporting two ads, I've noticed that most of the ads produced by Citibanamex follow this trend of being too loud.

 

What are Spotify's guidelines for ad volume for those who want their ads to go up on the platform and how are they enforced? Sometimes it feels like companies compress their ads beyond reasonable limits in order for them to be noticed above the music and other ads, but it gets to the point where it causes physical discomfort to listen to them, and it feels rather irresponsible from both sides. I would hope for stricter regulations regarding ad submission and better quality control and content review for ads hoping to be broadcasted. Hopefully the ad can be modified or removed and stiuations like these can be prevented before the ads go live.

[andtherainfall]

Hey folks,

Thanks for reporting these ads here!

Could you make sure to provide us with the following details (feel free to use this as a template):

• Country: 
• Device the ad appeared on:
• Operating system:

• Exact Spotify app version:

• Is it a visual or audio ad?

• Name of ad:

• Rough time/date you heard the advert:

• Reason for complaint:

Once we have that, we'll make sure to pass it on to the right team.

Thanks!

[lucaslp77]

Hi, here in Mexico the add has a lot of Volume. I don't find the option to normalize the volume as the songs. I'm not against the add. Let me share my experience I was listening some songs with 70% of Volumen then the add came up with 110% volume I was about to get deaf, please. Those Banamex and other ads has a lot of Volume. I've seen that there is an option but i can't seem to find it. I only have "Estabilizar volumen: igualar volumen de todas las canciones", the same volume for all songs but not for the ads.

Thanks.

[Thrawnkkar]

Hello,

I have seen many complaints regarding the volume of the advertisements for "free" users (I put that in quotes because Spotify is getting paid all the same for us from said ads), yet these topics keep being marked as solved by some random saying "Just turn down the volume when it comes on! SOLVED!" 

No, this is a management choice at Spotify, this was a tactic used by radio and television, to have ads play at a louder volume than the media they accompany to grab the attention of listeners and viewers as it drifts while their show isn't on. It became so prevalent and annoying that Congress had to step in and make a law to regulate it.

Furthermore, its illegal in those mediums. For your own information and ability to argue well with Spotify, here is the information on it:

FCC CALM Act

The real issue here, is that the FCC really only regulates publicly regulated airwaves and things that use them, radio and television, so the FCC has virtually no teeth to stop Spotify, an Internet streaming service, from doing what they wish with their ads volumes. 

I must stress, this is a Spotify decision. Not a programming issue, or an algorithm gone wrong, or some rogue advertiser slipping one by on Spotify, and frankly if anyone has people from Spotify saying the ads volume being loud is the advertisers fault, please screenshot that and send it to the advertiser, they would love to see this shady practice being passed on to them.

The only way this service will stop this practice is either through being forced by a law or by the listeners telling advertisers that their ads volume on Spotify annoyed/hurt/angered them to the point they no longer can see themselves buying their product. 

These are shady business practices, they dont work, and furthermore they are probably even counter-productive to the goal of making me want to use whatever product is being blasted at me so loud my eardrums actually constrict. 

So, you want this changed? 

Write Spotify, demanding they conform to the CALM Act.

Write the Advertisers and tell them Spotify blasting their ad at you has made you decide to not use their products.

Switch to a rival streamer that does not follow these shady practices.

Or ride that volume knob I guess, if thats your thing.

Thanks for reading.

[latand]

Despite Spotify's claim they've applied audio normalisation, this is definitely not working at all! I'm used to listening to calming sounds while studying and reading, and when suddenly an ad starts playing it must be some TERRIFYINGLY LOUD Hip**bleep** I never even listen to! It would be better to have some ads personalisation. If you cannot make it the same volume level with the previous song just advertise the songs I would appreciate! So annoying!

[Katerina]

Hey there folks,

We really appreciate taking the time to report this here in the Community.

Keep in mind that we recently implemented this feature.

However, if you're experiencing certain ads being loud despite that, let us know the following details (if you haven't already), so we can get them reported to the right folks:

• Name of ad or product that was being advertised.
• Rough time/date you heard the advert.
• Platform the issue occurred on (eg. Mobile, PlayStation, Desktop, etc) 
• Operating System (iOS/Android or desktop/Mac).
• Version number of the Spotify app.

Any additional info like screenshots of the ad would be helpful.

We'll be keeping an eye out for your replies, thanks!

[Daisy]

Hey everyone!

We really appreciate taking the time to report this here in the Community. We now have the right team looking into this.

Keep in mind that we recently implemented this feature.

However, if you're experiencing certain ads being loud despite that, let us know the following details (if you haven't already), so we can get them reported to the right folks:

• Name of ad or product that was being advertised.
• Rough time/date you heard the advert.
• Platform the issue occurred on (eg. Mobile, PlayStation, Desktop, etc) 
• Operating System (iOS/Android or desktop/Mac).
• Version number of the Spotify app.

Any additional info like screenshots of the ad would be helpful.

We'll be keeping an eye out for your replies, thanks!

[Peter]

Hey folks,

Thanks for reaching out to us about this.

We haven't heard from you in a while, so we've moved the thread back into the help boards.

Do let us know if you're still experiencing this issue, and we'll be happy to help.

Thanks!

[snarebear41]

• Rough time/date you heard the advert.

3/14/2019 ~3:00 PM Central Time

• Platform the issue occurred on (eg. Mobile, PlayStation, Desktop, etc) 

Desktop / Mac

• Operating System (iOS/Android or desktop/Mac).

macOS High Sierra

• Version number of the Spotify app.

1.1.0.237.g378f6f25 - I see that there is an update. Perhaps that will fix the issue.

• The market/ country you're in

USA

• What the ad was for

Didn't catch what it was for. Was too busy turning the volume all the way down.

• What music/ podcast you were listening to

The Lord Of The Rings - The Return Of The King - The Complete Recordings

• Did it have disruptive sound effects like car noises? 

It disrupted my ear drums in that I was wearing headphones. Seriously careless of whoever controls the volume of ads. Potentially damaging to people's hearing.

[Peter]

Hey @snarebear41.

Thanks for providing us with those details.

Unfortunately we can't pass this info on to the relevant team without knowing specifically which ad this happened with.

We suggest you keep an ear out for that ad, and if it occurs again then make a note of the ad and let us know.

Thanks! Let us know if you have any other questions - we'll be right here.

[snarebear41]

@Peter Enterprise Car Rental ad heard today ~2:35. Same details as above.

[Peter]

Hey @snarebear41.

Thanks for reporting that ad.

We've passed this info on to the right team, who will be looking into it.

Let us know if you hear any other ads that are louder than they should be.

Thanks!

[Epic_Wink]

• Name: Lego Movie 2
• Market: QLD, Australia
• Date: 2018/03/22 14:35
• Platform: desktop
• OS: Ubuntu (snap)
• Version: 1.1.0.237.g378f6f25-11 (34)

[FunnyGamer]

Just had one.

Name of ad or product that was being advertised. : restore nursing home funding paid for by long term care advocacy project

Rough time/date you heard the advert. : 6:11pm

Platform the issue occurred on (eg. Mobile, PlayStation, Desktop, etc):  Desktop

Operating System (iOS/Android or desktop/Mac): Windows 10

Version : 1.1.1.348.g9064793a (Windows Store version)

Market: Upstate NY, USA

ad: restore nursing home funding paid for by long term care advocacy project

what listening to: Rishloo, album Feathergun

disruptive sound fx: no, just very high audio compared to everything else, I'm wearing headphones and my ears actually hurt while the lady was talking.

[Peter]

Hey @FunnyGamer and @Epic_Wink,

Thanks for reporting those ads to us.

Rest assured that we have passed on your information to the right team, who will be looking into this.

Take care!

[GibberishTrash]

Hello. I already saw the post that was submitted by fractalblaze and it said that the status was implemented but it's not for me. I listen to a lot of lo-fi and most of it is quiet so I have to turn the volume up. All of the sudden it's quiet and then I hear a huge blasting noise and it hurts my ears really bad. The ad is called "Choose your own AMPVenture" by 97.1 AMP Radio and it plays every single time when there is an ad and I hate having to try to relax and then all of the sudden there's a really loud noise. I use an RCA Galileo Pro 11 powered by Android. 

[enladio]

Ad is at least 5 times louder than everything else.  Fight or flight kicks in as I impulsively rip my headphones from my ears.

• Name: Hudsons Bay
• Market: Toronto, CA
• Date: 2019/04/01 10:00am
• Platform: desktop
• OS: Windows

[Peter]

Hey @enladio.

Thanks for reporting this to us.

We've passed your info on to the right team, who will look into it.

Take care for now!

[Peter]

Hey @GibberishTrash.

Thanks for reaching out to us about this.

Would you mind providing us with the info we requested so that we can report the ad to the right team?

Thanks! We'll be looking out for your reply.

[Epic_Wink]

• Name:  Mercedes Benz
• Market: QLD, Australia
• Date: 2018/04/16 18:11
• Platform: desktop
• OS: Ubuntu (snap)
• Version: 1.1.0.237.g378f6f25-11 (34)

[f7b5jefwttoeud7]

I also want to report two Ads

• The market/ country you're in (The Nederlands)
• What the ad was for (Ziggo & ANWB)
• When (Only in the weekend)
• Platform (Andoid phone)
• What music/ podcast you were listening to (Playlist with Hardrock)
• Did it have disruptive sound effects like car noises? (if you consider a yelling person disruptive, YES)

To be honest, It is kind of stupid to ask listeners to report ads which are too loud.

You have all the tools to normalize music, but are not willing to use them for ads. There really is no excuse for loud/louder or loudest ads.

Or is it policy to scare away customers of your streaming service?

As it is now, you are profiling yourself as a screaming service.