'Alexa, play metal' : exploring music selection and personal information management via voice assistants

Introduction . Music streaming services have changed how music is played and perceived, but also how it is managed by individuals. Voice interfaces to such services are becoming increasingly com-mon, for example through voice assistants on mobile and smart devices, and have the poten-tial to further change personal music management by introducing new beneficial features and new challenges. Method . To explore the implications of voice assistants for personal music listening and management we surveyed 248 participants online and in a lab setting to investigate (a) in which situa-tions people use voice assistants to play music, (b) how the situations compare to established activities common during non -voice assistant music listening, and (c) what kinds of com-mands they use. Analysis . We categorised 653 situations of voice assistant use, which reflect differences to non -voice assistant music listening, and established 11 command types, which mostly reflect finding or refinding activities but also indicate keeping and organisation activities. Results . Voice assistants have some benefits for music listening and personal music management, but also a notable lack of support for traditional personal information management activities, like browsing, that are common when managing music. Conclusion . Having characterised the use of voice assistants to play music, we consider their role in per-sonal music management and make suggestions for improved design and future research.