Recommendations have long been integral to the Spotify experience, with users sharing their favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks millions of times each month. This organic word-of-mouth sharing remains one of the most effective means for discovering new favorites. Recognizing this, Spotify users have expressed a desire for a dedicated space within the app to share their excitement with friends and family, while also keeping track of these recommendations. For artists and creators, this enhanced sharing capability can lead to increased visibility and new fans. The aim is to create a more seamless and streamlined connection within the Spotify app.
Beginning this week, Spotify is rolling out a new feature called Messages to both Free and Premium users aged 16 and older in select markets, accessible on mobile devices.
The Spotify content you’re already sharing, now all in one convenient place
Whether it’s sharing an audiobook for book club, discussing a new favorite song, or exchanging history podcasts with family, the right recommendation can ignite meaningful conversations. Messages provide a quick and convenient way to share and discuss what you’re listening to with loved ones. This feature also presents new opportunities for artists and creators, allowing more users to promote an artist’s track or a creator’s podcast within their social circles, thus enhancing discovery.
Here’s how Messages work
Messages facilitate one-on-one conversations where users can share Spotify content and express themselves through text and emojis.
- Initiate a message in-app with friends you’ve previously interacted with on Spotify.
- While listening to a song, podcast, or audiobook in the Now Playing View, tap the share icon, select a friend, and hit send.
- Upon accepting a message request, you can react with emojis, send texts, and effortlessly share Spotify content back and forth. Access Messages by tapping your profile photo in the top left corner.
Messages are designed for the conversations users are already having about music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Starting a chat is straightforward with people you know and have previously shared content with. Additionally, the app will suggest people to message based on prior interactions, such as shared Spotify content, participation in Jams, Blends, or collaborative playlists, or if you share a Family or Duo plan.
Users are encouraged to continue sharing Spotify content through their favorite platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and TikTok. Messages on Spotify are intended to complement these integrations, enhancing the ways to promote the content you love.
Messages put you in control of the conversation with the people you care about
With Messages, users maintain control over their interactions. They can choose to accept or decline message requests from friends and family. Spotify’s Terms of Use and Platform Rules apply to Messages, ensuring a safe environment. If any content feels inappropriate, users can easily report it by holding down on the message, selecting “Report,” and indicating how it violates the guidelines. Users also have the option to block others or opt out of Messages entirely through Settings.
To ensure a secure sharing experience, conversations are protected by industry-standard encryption both in transit and at rest, safeguarding user data. Spotify employs proactive detection technology to scan messages for unlawful and harmful content, with moderators reviewing reported instances. This dual approach aims to create a safer environment while respecting user privacy.
This marks just the beginning of an evolving experience, with plans to further enhance the feature for Spotify users worldwide in the coming months.
