Spotify is Trying to Build a Social Music Experience - Again
Here’s a summary of the article about Spotify’s new “Messages“ feature:
Key Points:
Spotify is launching a new “Messages” feature within its app, allowing users to share and chat about music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly with each other.
This is reminiscent of Apple Ping, a similar “social network for music” introduced by Steve Jobs in 2010, which ultimately failed.
The feature aims to make sharing more seamless. Currently, users typically share Spotify links via external apps like WhatsApp or Instagram. Availability: Rolling out this week to Free and Premium users aged 16+ in select markets on mobile.
How it effectively works: Users can share content via a share icon,chat one-on-one with text and emojis,and access messages from their profile photo.
connections: Suggested contacts are based on existing Spotify interactions (collaborative playlists, shared plans, etc.).
Not a Replacement: Spotify emphasizes this feature complements existing sharing options, not replaces them.
Privacy & Safety: Users have control over conversations (accept/decline requests, block accounts, opt-out). Conversations are encrypted, and content will be monitored for harmful material.
Future Plans: Spotify intends to expand and improve the feature globally in the coming months.
Data Potential: Spotify hopes to use sharing data to improve music recommendations and discoverability.
In essence, Spotify is attempting to foster a more social experience within its app, learning from the past failure of Apple Ping, and hoping to leverage user interaction for better personalization.