difference between Radio and Stations?

[Toneman]

Under the hamburger menu (the 3 lines at the top left), there is a function called "Radio". This seems to contain all the auto-generated playlists that I've made based on a song or artist. I also see "Stations" under "Your Music". In fact, it has the same icon as Radio --> ((o))

What does Stations do? 

[driveflanger]

Hi. Radio is a functionality in Spotify where you can start to listen to music in a random way according to the music you have listened to, it gives the experience of a regular fm radio. The stations are like specific kind of radios. So, under stations you can have let's say a Pink Floyd Station and a Radiohead Station but both are part of the radio functionality. So in a nutshell, Stations are the elements contained within a group called Radio.

[Toneman · Accepted solution]

I've done a bit more experimenting with this. It seems that when I create a new station, it shows up in Radio as a Recently Created station. But it does not show up in Stations. Then, when I click "Follow" for that station (in Radio), it shows up in my Stations. 

Strange since I don't see this difference in the desktop version...it's all under Radio.

[ginvodka]

This explanation doesn't help. At all. 

[ginvodka]

This explanation doesn't help. At all.

[samuelblair]

I've been wondering the same thing myself for a long time, and this is not a clear answer. 

[jelling]

Agreed. I'm a programmer and even I am baffled by what Spotify is trying to accomplish by having "Stations" and "Radio". In terms of user experience, it's extremely negative because until I found this post I thought Spotify had lost my radio stations, which frankly, I put a lot of time into training. (And that's a sticky feature that helps retain customers long term because it increases switching costs.)

Please fix this. If you understand it, but your users don't, you're wrong even. Period.

[edwardo7]

Seriously, Spotify. Considering the $millions invested, can you not design a comprehensible UX? You shouldn't sleep until your users no longer have to trip over redundant, overlapping, nonsensical features.

[taytay7721]

Also confused by this. Good post OP.