WhoSampled was officially acquired by Spotify, marking a pivotal shift in how listeners discover the DNA behind their favorite tracks.
The London-based service is helmed by Nadav Poraz, who has brought together sample culture and streaming giants.
The platform, known for its deep archive of sampled music, cover versions and remixes, announced the deal this week, confirming it will retain its independent identity while gaining access to Spotify’s global infrastructure.
The acquisition promises to enhance the user experience with faster moderation, ad-free browsing and free access to its mobile apps.
“We are thrilled to announce that WhoSampled has been acquired by Spotify and is now part of the Spotify family!” the company said in a statement. “Through our recent discussions with Spotify, it became clear that we share a strong belief in the power of musical context – and a vision for helping listeners go deeper into the songs they love.”
Poraz, who launched WhoSampled in 2008 after earning his MBA from Imperial College Business School, built the platform out of a personal passion for Hip-Hop and sample-based music.
What started as a niche site has grown into a database used by over one million people each month.
The acquisition also paves the way for a new feature called SongDNA, which will embed WhoSampled’s technology into Spotify’s streaming service.
The tool will allow users to explore a song’s origins and connections as they listen, offering a richer understanding of music history in real time.
In a 2014 interview, Poraz explained the platform’s broader purpose: “We are much more than a glorified Excel spreadsheet. It’s an experience, with contextual recommendations, community aspects and the apps. The premise of the site was always about music discovery, and it’s great to see how that’s catching on.”
WhoSampled’s archive includes detailed annotations of samples, covers and remixes, each linked to original recordings with timestamps. With Spotify’s reach and resources, the platform is expected to accelerate its mission “to build the world’s greatest database of Music DNA.”
Poraz has long advocated for transparency and fairness in the sampling world.
“Sample-based music creates new value both to the sampling and sampled artist, as long as there is attribution and respect,” he said.
The partnership also addresses long-standing community frustrations, such as slow submission approvals and paywall access.
With the acquisition, WhoSampled will now offer its iOS and Android apps for free and eliminate all display ads, streamlining the user experience.
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