Learning Vocabulary Through Music Streaming: Students’ Perceptions of Spotify Integration

Abstract

The increasing use of digital media in language learning has opened new opportunities to enhance vocabulary instruction; however, research on students’ perceptions of music streaming platforms from a descriptive qualitative perspective remains limited. This study aims to explore students’ perceptions of using Spotify as a learning medium to enhance vocabulary mastery. Adopting a descriptive qualitative research design, the study involved students who engaged with Spotify-based materials in their vocabulary learning activities. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to obtain in-depth insights into students’ experiences, attitudes, and perception of the benefits of using Spotify for vocabulary learning. The findings indicate that students generally perceived Spotify positively, as it provided authentic language exposure, increased learning motivation, and supported vocabulary development through contextualized audio input. Students reported that learning vocabulary through music facilitated better understanding of word meaning, pronunciation, and usage in context. Despite these advantages, several challenges were identified, including difficulties in understanding certain accents and maintaining focus when the content was not aligned with learning objectives. This study contributes to the field of digital-assisted language learning by highlighting students’ subjective experiences and perceptions of integrating music streaming platforms into vocabulary instruction. The findings suggest that Spotify can function as an effective supplementary tool in vocabulary learning when accompanied by appropriate pedagogical guidance and careful material selection.