Abstract:
Developing listening skills remains a significant challenge for EFL learners, largely due
to a shortage of engaging, authentic materials. This study explores how first-year
English Education students at Universitas Galuh perceive the use of English songs on
Spotify for improving their listening skills. Adopting a descriptive qualitative design
framed by Creswell (2023), data were gathered from five participants via a Likert-scale
questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, followed by descriptive and thematic
analysis. The findings reveal a highly positive reception among students. While most
initially used Spotify for entertainment, they soon recognized its educational value.
Repeated listening enhanced their speech recognition, while the platform's lyrics feature
allowed them to bridge the gap between spoken and written English, leading to natural
vocabulary acquisition. Ultimately, students found this approach enjoyable and self-
directed rather than a rigid classroom chore. This positive outlook was driven by
Spotify’s convenience, interactive features, and regular exposure to authentic language,
suggesting that the platform serves as a practical, motivating supplement to formal EFL
listening instruction.
