Spotify has launched a new paid-for recommendation tool called Showcase, which is designed to help artists and labels reach new audiences with their music. The tool, which costs $100 per promo campaign, allows artists to create a mobile card that will appear as a sponsored recommendation on listeners' mobile Home Screen.

The card will feature a cover image, title, and description of the artist's music, as well as a link to their profile. Spotify says that Showcase will use a combination of data and human curation to create personalized playlists for each campaign.

"Showcase is a powerful new tool that will help artists and labels reach new fans," said Spotify's Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich. "We're excited to see how artists use Showcase to promote their music and connect with their audiences."

Showcase is available to artists and labels with U.S.-based billing who have had at least 1,000 streams in the last 28 days in one of Spotify's 30 target markets. The tool is currently in beta testing, but it is expected to be rolled out to all eligible artists and labels in the coming weeks.

The launch of Showcase comes as Spotify faces increasing competition from other streaming services, such as Apple Music and Amazon Music. Spotify has been criticized for not doing enough to help artists promote their music, and Showcase is seen as a way for the company to address this issue.

It remains to be seen how effective Showcase will be in helping artists reach new audiences. However, it is a significant new tool that could give artists a greater say in how their music is promoted.

In addition to Showcase, Spotify also offers a number of other tools to help artists promote their music, such as its algorithmic playlists and its "Discover Weekly" feature. The company is also investing in new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to help it better understand and recommend music to its users.

The music industry is constantly evolving, and Spotify is always looking for new ways to help artists succeed. Showcase is the latest example of this, and it will be interesting to see how it is used by artists and labels in the coming months.