Why Are Spotify Ads So LOUD? (Things You Can Do)

Spotify is one of the most well-respected music streaming platforms available and one thing that sets it apart from the competition is the fact that they offer a completely free subscription alongside its ‘pay-monthly’ Premium plans.

However, the free version of Spotify does come with some caveats, one being that a user’s music will be interrupted by loud advertisements.

In this article, we take a look at why exactly Spotify ads are so loud and check whether there is anything that you can do about it.

Here’s Everything you Need to Know About the Volume of Spotify Ads:

Spotify advertisements occur every 5-6 songs when users are listening on the free plan. The volume of Spotify’s ads is, by default, set to ‘Loud’ and will often be louder than the music you are playing. Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the sound levels of ads through the Spotify app.

Are Spotify Ads Played Louder than the Actual Music?

If you are using a Spotify free account, then you will be no stranger to Spotify’s ads. As the folks at tunefab.com explain:

“According to Spotify Advertising, the audio ads are 15 to 30 seconds and they are played every 5-6 songs.”

Advertisers that use Spotify have the ability to decide what volume their advertisements are played at on the Spotify platform. And, naturally, they make sure it is the loudest it can be, thereby ensuring that their advert will definitely be heard.

This means, depending on the volume settings on your account, and if you are listening to Spotify within what’s considered normal sound levels, the adverts will always be louder than the actual music you were listening to.

Adverts on Spotify are set to play at maximum volume.

Unfortunately, these adverts, and the disruptive nature of increasing volume levels, have disgruntled many Spotify users that are subscribed to a free plan with Spotify.

Additionally, most users are desperately trying to figure out how to reduce the volume level increase that occurs.

Therefore, if you are listening to music on “Normal” (the usual setting within the Spotify app), then all advertisements will be played louder than the music that is playing.

Can you Adjust the Volume of Ads Specifically?

Unfortunately, there are no specific settings within the Spotify app that allow users to adjust the volume levels of any advertisements that will be played.

Moreover, the progress bar isn’t actually skippable, so there is no way to avoid an advert being played in general.

This has created some annoyance among those that use the free version of Spotify. As disruptive as it is, it’s also worth being aware that adverts are a way for Spotify to gain enough revenue to fund the free service that you are using.

However, some free subscribers to Spotify have found a way to reduce the volume levels of certain adverts that have been driving them insane.

All you have to do is go into your Spotify volume settings and set them to “Maximum”. Once you have done so, you can adjust the output levels on your computer, phone, or tablet to a reasonable level.

This means that the adverts cannot be any louder than the music you are listening to. Think of these settings as a base level – if you have your volume settings set to “Quiet”, then naturally, the ads will jump to the “Loud” setting whenever available.

If they are all set to “Loud”, but are then all adjusted on your output device, you shouldn’t hear a difference.

This is because Spotify has control over the volume within the app, but it has no control over the volume of the device you are using to listen.

Here’s How to Ensure Adverts on Spotify do Not Increase in Volume:

1. Launch the Spotify app.
2. Navigate to Settings.
3. Tap ‘Playback’
4. Select ‘Loud’ within ‘Volume Level’
5. When an advert is played on Spotify, you will no longer experience a volume jump.
   • Adjust your headphone or speakers accordingly for this new volume setting.

What Volume Settings do you Have on Spotify?

Spotify has numerous volume settings and adjustments within its platform under the section labeled ‘Playback’.

To discover your volume settings on your smartphone or tablet, simply follow these steps:

1. Launch the Spotify app.
2. Tap on ‘Your Library’ located at the bottom of your screen.
3. Scroll downwards and tap on ‘Playback’.

From here, you can adjust the volume level from 3 options:

• Loud
• Normal
• Quiet

It’s worth knowing that the ‘Loud’ setting may diminish audio quality, but ‘Normal’ and ‘Quiet’ will not.

There are also several other audio settings you can adjust from this menu, such as:

• Crossfade – this allows songs to overlap and flow together nicely.
• Mono Audio – this adjusts left and right headphones to the same level.
• Equalizer – which adjusts bass, treble levels, etc.
• Gapless playback – a setting that removes the silent space between tracks.

Will Spotify Ads Still Play When the Sound is Muted?

When you are using a free version of Spotify, ads will still run their course even when the sound is on a lower volume or muted.

These ads will adhere to the muted settings, and will not be heard. Advertisements will, however, always play regardless of the volume settings.

Some users have found that if they go to mute their device directly before they know when an ad is going to play, the ad pauses.

The best way around this is to mute your device, press play again, and then wait until the advertisement is over before turning up the volume of your device.

How can you Complain About the Volume of Spotify Ads?

Depending on your personal listening tastes, extremely loud adverts can sometimes be even more jarring than you would expect. If you’re having an issue with a specific advertisement on Spotify, then your best bet is to report the problem advert to Spotify directly.

Luckily, reporting an ad that runs far too loudly on Spotify is quite a simple process, and, moreover, there are a few ways to do it. The best way is to head over to Spotify’s community forums to talk to a moderator, and from here, you can explain exactly what has happened.

If you are using the forum, you will be asked for the following information:

• What type of device you were using when the problem advert was played.
• What country you are listening in.
• Your operating system.
• What version of the Spotify app you are running.
• Whether the advert was audio or visual.
• The name and rough time and date that you heard the advert.
• Your reasoning behind the complaint you are making.

Once you have this information, talk to a moderator, and then the ad will be addressed by Spotify to see if it meets their guidelines. If more than one person has reported an ad, it is even more likely they will take the matter more seriously and remove the advert from their platform.

Final Thoughts

If you really have reached the end of your patience with advertisements on Spotify and their associated volume levels, then it may be time to upgrade to Spotify Premium. 

Spotify Premium users have many perks and features that free members do not have access to. However, one of the most alluring features of Spotify Premium is the fact that you’ll have on-demand music without interruptions.

For an ad-free Spotify experience, you can sign up for only $9.99 a month or take advantage of their free trial first before you commit. 

Sources

4 Ways to block Ads on Spotify without Premium [Updated]

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