Spotify acquires online music game Heardle

Music guessing game Heardle, one of the more popular permutations of Wordle, has been acquired by Spotify. Heardle launched with a simple premise in February 2022: guess the song of the day in as little time as possible. Prior to the Spotify deal, the web player was a Soundcloud embed. A statement from Spotify reads:

We see Heardle as more than a trivia game: It’s also a tool for musical discovery. Playing Heardle might just help you to rediscover old tracks you may have thought you’d forgotten, discover amazing new artists, or finally put a title to that wordless melody you’ve had caught in your head forever.

Heardle is a simple but endlessly challenging game. Players are tasked with guessing a song based on its opening notes. They get six guesses, with each hint giving a few more seconds of music to inform their next answer. Ultimately, they get a chance to discover the song in its entirety, whether or not they guessed it correctly.

“We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans,” commented Jeremy Erlich, Global Head of Music, Spotify. “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.”

While Spotify's acquisition Heardle likely gives the game access to a wider swath of music, less people will be able to play it. For now it will only be available to players in United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

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