Yandex Music has rolled out a refined recommendation engine within the Unfamiliar mode of its My Wave feature, according to the company’s press service. The upgrade focuses on surfacing artists a listener has not yet encountered, turning discovery into the default behavior for active exploration of new sounds (Yandex Music press service).
Alexander Safronov, head of recommendations at Yandex Music, explains that the updated setting is crafted to actively seek out fresh tracks. It shifts the recommendation stream toward unknown artists, inviting listeners to expand their musical horizons beyond familiar favorites (Yandex Music press service).
When the new mode is used without any extra tweaks, My Wave still presents a mix of newly released tracks and songs the user has previously heard, maintaining a balance between discovery and comfort. The company notes that there is room for both new discoveries and favorite tracks, a design choice meant to satisfy curiosity while honoring listening habits (Yandex Music press service).
In the first phase of the update, users saw a notable increase in fresh material. The company reports a 20 percent rise in new tracks added to listeners’ collections from artists they had not known before, signaling a broadening of the listener’s musical view and a greater willingness to explore unfamiliar artists (Yandex Music press service).
The Unfamiliar setting now features a dedicated sorting algorithm. This new component is trained not only to uncover tracks the listener may not know but also to recommend options that align more closely with their tastes. The result is a more targeted and engaging discovery experience that respects individual listening patterns (Yandex Music press service).
As a result, the Unfamiliar mode more often identifies tracks that users will enjoy from the very first listening session and prompts them to add these finds to their Collection. This immediate resonance helps listeners build a personalized library with less trial-and-error, creating a smoother path from discovery to curation (Yandex Music press service).
From the perspective of artists, the update is seen as a catalyst for audience growth on Yandex Music. The streamlined path from exposure to collection fosters quicker connect points with new listeners, increasing the likelihood that a track will be saved and revisited rather than skipped. The press team emphasizes that these dynamics can help artists expand their reach and establish a more durable presence on the platform (Yandex Music press service).
Additionally, the Unfamiliar mode is reported to widen genre exposure. The algorithm considers the listener’s stated preferences and uses that input to gently guide recommendations toward relevant directions, avoiding abrupt shifts between incompatible genres. This nuanced approach aims to keep the listening experience coherent while still introducing fresh styles and motifs (Yandex Music press service).