Spotify: Music & Podcasts

Review by eFreeware

Spotify for Android TV is the television edition of the streaming service from Spotify AB, free to install and carrying ads. It takes the catalog most people already associate with the service and puts it on the largest screen in the house, which is the main reason to consider it.

The pitch is straightforward: music, podcasts and video podcasts on the TV, with the option to control playback from a phone. Over 100 million installs and a 3.9 average from more than 44,000 ratings suggest it has found a substantial audience on this platform, though that score also hints that not every viewer is satisfied.

What separates it from simply casting from a phone is the living-room framing. The developer describes it as turning the TV into a hub for shared listening, and several of the features are built around that idea rather than around private headphone sessions.

Music on the big screen, with lyrics to follow

The core of the app is streaming: millions of songs and curated playlists, played through your television and whatever sound system is attached to it. That makes it an obvious fit for a room where people are gathered, whether that is a dinner that runs long or a weekend afternoon with the windows open.

On-screen lyrics are the feature that stands out most for this setting. Where they are available, they turn a track into something a room can follow together, which is a different experience from listening on earbuds. It is a small addition in theory, but it changes how the TV gets used.

The catalog covers both music and spoken-word content, so the same app can carry a party and then a quieter evening. I would expect households that already pay for the service to get the most out of this, since the TV becomes another place the account follows them.

Podcasts and video podcasts on the television

Podcasts are treated as a first-class part of the app rather than an afterthought. You can play them on the TV, and video podcasts are included as well, which gives the screen something to show rather than just audio to fill the room.

On supporting devices, the app displays your recent podcast episodes so you can pick up where you left off. That resume behavior matters for long-running shows, where losing your place is the fastest way to stop listening altogether.

This side of the app suits people who treat the TV as a background companion: cooking, tidying, or working through a series of episodes over several evenings. The mix of audio and video formats in one place is convenient, though how much video content you see can depend on where you live and what television you own.

Shared queues and control from the couch

The Jam feature is the most social thing here. A Premium subscriber can start a Jam and let friends add songs to the queue on the TV, which turns the remote into a shared object rather than a single person's tool. For gatherings where everyone has opinions about the music, that is a meaningful difference.

Control is handled in two ways. You can use the TV remote, or you can use Spotify Connect, and the developer notes that a phone can drive playback without interrupting what is playing. That second option is the one I would lean on, since typing a search on a remote is rarely pleasant.

On supported devices, voice commands can launch the app or a track. It is the kind of convenience that sounds minor until you are across the room with your hands full, and it fits the hands-free spirit of a living-room setup.

What the free version and Premium each cover

The app is free to download and shows ads. It does not offer in-app purchases, so nothing is sold inside the app itself; the paid tier is a Spotify Premium subscription, which the developer says brings ad-free music listening and enhanced audio.

Premium is also the requirement for hosting a Jam. That is the clearest line between the two experiences: the social queueing feature sits behind the subscription, while the rest of the app is available without it.

If you already subscribe, the television app slots into that subscription rather than adding a separate cost. If you do not, you can still install it and listen, with advertising in the mix.

What you need before you start

The requirements are modest. You need an Android TV device or a television running that platform, and the app is installed from the store as usual. Spotify Connect and the TV remote are the two control methods, so a phone is useful but not the only option.

Voice control through Google Assistant applies on supported devices, which means the hardware matters. The same limit applies elsewhere: what you can watch, and which features you get, depends on where you are and which TV you own.

That regional and hardware variation is worth keeping in mind before you plan an evening around a specific feature. The app was released in May 2016 and was last updated in September 2026, with the most recent changes covering playback behavior and bug fixes.

Households that will get the most from it

This app is built for shared rooms. If your television is the center of the house and music tends to play out loud rather than through headphones, the combination of a large catalog, on-screen lyrics and a queue your guests can add to is a natural fit.

It also suits podcast listeners who want episodes on the TV, particularly those who watch video versions of shows. The resume behavior for recent episodes makes it workable as a regular routine rather than a one-off experiment.

Premium subscribers get the fullest version of it, since Jam hosting and ad-free listening sit on that tier. Anyone without a subscription can still use the app for music and podcasts, with ads, and should expect the feature set to be narrower.

A living-room companion worth installing

Spotify for Android TV does one job well: it puts a large streaming catalog on the television and gives you several sensible ways to control it. The lyrics, the podcast resume behavior and the shared Jam queue all point in the same direction, which is a room full of people rather than a single listener.

The trade-offs are honest ones. There are ads without a subscription, Jam hosting requires Premium, and some features depend on your region or your television model. The 3.9 average from a large body of ratings suggests the app works for many people without delighting all of them.

I would suggest it to households that already use Spotify and want the service on the biggest screen they own, especially those who entertain or who work through podcasts at home. It is free to try, and the parts that need a subscription are clearly marked as such.

What's new in version 1.134.2

Improved playback behavior and various bug fixes