This intro might sound familiar: A popular fill-in-the-blank game has been bought up by a big entity with deep pockets. No, we’re not talking about the New York Times acquiring Wordle; as Spotify revealed in a new blog post, the streamer has purchased Heardle, the game that offers six guesses to name that tune.
The financial terms have not been disclosed, but Wordle went for a number in the low seven figures, and since Heardle never reached quite that level of popularity, it’s unlikely to have gone for much more. Those who’ve gotten used to playing the free game don’t need to worry; Spotify says the game will stay free, though they didn’t mention if they’d interrupt it commercials as soon as things were getting good.
The big change, if you can call it that, is that Heardle will now offer you the chance to listen to the song of the day on Spotify. “We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans,” Jeremy Erlich, Global Head of Music, Spotify, said in a statement. “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.”
Heardle is currently available in US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, though Spotify plans to expand to more countries and more languages.
Spotify continues to extend its influence over every realm of pop culture. Last month, they unveiled “The Upside Down Playlist,” a personalized collection, inspired by Stranger Things, that will save you from Vecna. And after pulling all political advertising due to misinformation, Spotify recently announced that political ads are back, presumably because misinformation has been solved.
