<![CDATA[This study investigates the influence of digital music platform Spotify on the listening skills of eighth grade students at High School Kartika III-2 Semarang. The research employed a quantitative pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design involving 33 students selected through simple random sampling. The instrument consisted of an objective listening comprehension test of six items measuring vocabulary recognition and listening comprehension, which was validated using Pearson Product Moment correlation and found to be highly reliable with a Cronbach's Alpha value of 0.981. The data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk normality test and a paired samples t-test. The findings reveal a significant improvement in students' listening performance, with the mean score increasing from 76.55 in the pre-test to 84.12 in the post-test. The paired samples t-test result (t = 11.983, df = 32, p < 0.05) indicates a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores, confirming the effectiveness of Spotify-based instruction. The improvement is theoretically supported by Krashen's Language Acquisition Theory, particularly the concepts of comprehensible input and affective filter reduction, as well as Mayer's multimedia learning theory, which explains the dual-channel processing benefits of the platform's synchronized lyrics feature. These findings suggest that Spotify, when integrated with structured listening activities, can serve as an effective pedagogical tool to improve students' listening comprehension in secondary-level EFL classrooms.]]>
