Amazon's Maestro is going head-to-head with Spotify's DJ.

Amazon Music's throwing its hat into the AI playlist ring with Maestro. This new tool (currently in beta) lets you generate custom playlists with simple prompts – think text, emojis, and vibes.

What is going on here?

Amazon's playing catch up to Spotify, which launched a similar AI feature recently.

What does this mean?

Need a workout playlist? Tell Maestro. Nostalgic for some 90s tunes? Just ask. Maestro figures out the rest. Your words, your soundtrack.

Whether you're feeling "😭 and eating 🍝" or channelling "Myspace era hip-hop", Maestro translates that into songs. It's even learning to block weird requests (you know people will try!).

Unlimited subscribers get the full deal—play whole playlists, save them, etc. Prime and free users still get the fun of generating playlists, but only with 30-second previews.

Why should I care?

Think of this as the first step towards playlists that truly understand what you want, even if you can't put it into words. It might mean less time scrolling and more time just hitting play.

Amazon joining Spotify in this shows AI isn't a gimmick. Expect AI-powered playlists to become a standard feature, and for both companies to keep refining them.