algRTHM
Building algRTHM: A Node-Based Automation Platform for Spotify
Building algRTHM: A Node-Based Automation Platform for Spotify
Projectoverzicht
Oplossingen & Expertise
Digitale Strategie
Maatwerksoftwareontwikkeling
Entertainment
Technologie & Integraties
Client Background & Overview
algRTHM began as a side project by one of our developers, inspired by the now-aging Smarter Playlists platform: a once-popular tool for automating Spotify playlist curation that had fallen into disrepair.
When early prototypes and progress updates were shared on Reddit, they caught the attention of Aaron Traylor, CEO of Crate Hackers, a software platform built for DJs to organize and manage their vast music libraries.
Aaron had been a longtime user of Smarter Playlists and immediately recognized the potential of algRTHM as its modern successor. Seeing an opportunity to support both the DJ community and his own platform’s users, Crate Hackers offered to sponsor the project, transforming algRTHM from a personal experiment into a full-fledged, production-ready product.
Challenge
For professional DJs and playlist curators, managing and maintaining dozens of playlists is an ongoing challenge, especially with new music being released daily.
Manual curation can be time-consuming, repetitive, and prone to human error. The goal of algRTHM was to create a flexible, visual system for automating playlist management. One that allows users to build their own custom algorithms for sorting, filtering, and combining tracks, without sacrificing creative control. The challenge was to balance automation with artistic intent, ensuring users could still curate playlists that felt personal and human-driven.
Execution
Our team designed and developed algRTHM as a modern web application.
Built with Nuxt, Tailwind, and Cloudflare Workers, leveraging the Spotify API to provide real-time data on playlists, tracks, and audio features. The interface allows users to visually connect nodes such as playlists, albums, filters, and combiners to define how tracks flow through their algorithm. Under the hood, we implemented efficient graph traversal logic to ensure that songs could pass through multiple transformation stages without duplication or data loss.
Collaboration with Crate Hackers played a key role in shaping the feature set. Together, we identified the core tools most valuable to DJs, including filters for tempo, key, artist, and explicit content, as well as combiners for advanced playlist blending. A custom Crate Hackers color theme was also developed to align with their branding and ensure a seamless experience for their community.
Result & Future Projects
algRTHM has evolved into a powerful, production-ready platform that redefines playlist curation for DJs and music enthusiasts.
The result is a visually intuitive system that streamlines busywork, empowers users to experiment with musical ideas, and connects seamlessly with existing Spotify workflows.
Since its launch, algRTHM has drawn interest from DJs, radio hosts, and playlist curators looking to automate their creative processes while maintaining control over the final sound.
Looking ahead, the roadmap includes integrations with Crate Hackers’ desktop software, enhanced collaboration tools, and more advanced node types to further expand creative possibilities.
What Makes This Project Special
algRTHM represents the perfect intersection of automation and artistry. It’s a creative companion for those who live and breathe music.
What makes this project stand out is its origin story: a passion project that caught the attention of an industry leader, evolved through community feedback, and grew into a commercial product used by professionals around the world. It’s a reminder of what can happen when innovation, community, and sponsorship align toward a shared vision.
