Explore the intersection of music theory, discrete optimization, and technology to create better Spotify playlists in this GOTO Chicago 2019 conference talk. Dive into the world of playlist curation as Cedric Hurst, a Spotify enthusiast and software engineer, shares insights on transforming the art of playlist creation into a solvable puzzle. Learn about the rules and patterns that contribute to cohesive playlists, and discover how to teach these principles to computers. Gain knowledge on music theory basics, understand why certain songs complement each other, and witness the development of a planning and optimization algorithm for generating captivating Spotify playlists. Experience live keyboard demonstrations, unrehearsed demos, and discussions on topics ranging from the Camelot System to discrete optimization techniques. Uncover the potential of cloud APIs, Spotify integrations, and technologies like Apollo, Prisma, GraphQL, and AWS Lambda in enhancing the playlist creation process. Read more