Spotify changed their icons recently (a). Immediately, I thought of Adobe’s CS Suite (b and c). Adobe for many years has used icons similar to Spotify’s. And Adobe probably got their inspiration from Pantone (http://www NULL.pantone NULL.com/pages/products/product NULL.aspx?pid=424&ca=34) (d).

Spotify (http://www NULL.spotify NULL.com/us/) didn’t go far enough. I would propose version (e). Notice how the category name stands out more. Notice how it becomes a different thing than just a square.

This applies to you, non-designers. If you’re going to create something, push it far enough away from your source of inspiration that it becomes a new idea.