Abstract
Music streaming platforms such as Spotify have fundamentally reshaped how users discover and consume music by employing personalized recommender systems. This study examines how two user-centered factors, algorithm awareness and the perceived value of a recommender system, affect the expansion of musical taste among users aged 25 to 34, Spotify’s core demographic. Based on a quantitative survey (n=129) and subsequent multiple regression analysis, the results show that perceived value significantly predicts the expansion of musical taste, while algorithm awareness does not exhibit a meaningful effect. These findings highlight the behavioral relevance of perceived system quality and raise questions about the practical impact of user knowledge regarding algorithmic processes.