Spotify Introduces Real Time Listening in Messages with Listening Activity and Request to Jam

Spotify continues to evolve beyond a traditional music streaming platform, positioning itself as a full social listening space with the introduction of two new features inside its Messages system: Listening Activity and Request to Jam. These updates are designed to reflect how modern users no longer see music as a purely personal experience, but something to be shared with friends and family in a more interactive and meaningful way.

Since launching Messages last year, Spotify has observed strong engagement with social interaction on the platform. The company revealed that nearly 40 million users have sent a total of 340 million messages, highlighting how eager listeners are to share songs, podcasts, and audiobooks with one another. Building on this behavior, Spotify developed these new features to make shared listening feel more natural, almost like sitting together and enjoying music at the same time.

Listening Activity allows users to voluntarily display what they are listening to in real time within the Messages page. Instead of revealing exact playback moments, the system shows the most recent track that has just finished playing. Visibility is limited to people users have already chatted with, ensuring a controlled and familiar social circle. Even without actively sharing their own status, users can also view their friends’ listening activity and discover new music through these shared moments.

Once enabled, Listening Activity appears both in the chat bar and at the top of the Messages page. Friends can tap on the displayed song to save it to their own library, start listening along instantly, or react with emojis. Spotify emphasizes that privacy remains a priority, and users can turn the feature on or off at any time based on their comfort level.

Another standout feature is Request to Jam, which transforms solo listening into a collaborative group experience. When a friend accepts a jam request, all participants can add songs to a shared queue in real time. Users can see who is currently listening and receive music recommendations generated by Spotify based on the combined tastes of everyone in the group. This feature is especially appealing for virtual hangouts, parties, or casual listening sessions with friends.

Both Listening Activity and Request to Jam are gradually rolling out on iOS and Android in regions where Messages is supported, including the SEA Region. Spotify expects global availability by early February. Free users can also join a Jam as long as they receive an invitation from a Premium user.

With these updates, Spotify continues to blur the line between communication and entertainment, reinforcing its vision of music as a shared social experience rather than a solitary one.

Source: Spotify