Spotify is adding a new way for listeners to connect without leaving the platform. The streaming giant has announced the launch of Messages, a direct messaging tool that lets users share music, podcasts, and audiobooks straight through the app. The feature begins rolling out this week in “select markets,” and will be accessible on mobile to both Free and Premium subscribers aged 16 and above.
According to the music streaming service, Sharing works directly from the Now Playing screen. By tapping the share icon, listeners can send a track, podcast, or audiobook to friends within Spotify. Eligible recipients include people on the same Spotify plan, as well as users connected through Jams, Blends, or Collaborative Playlists. Once sent, all exchanges appear in the new Messages inbox, located under the profile picture in the top-left corner of the app. This hub allows users to revisit content recommendations without having to dig through texts or third-party apps.
The system is designed to simplify the recommendation process, which Spotify notes already happens across multiple platforms. Messages support 1:1 conversations, text replies, and emoji reactions, with all exchanges protected by “industry-standard encryption” to keep chats secure.
User safety tools are also built in. Message requests can be accepted or rejected, and anyone can be blocked or reported. Content moderation will extend further, with Spotify confirming it will “proactively scan Messages for certain unlawful and harmful content” and manually review flagged reports. To make reporting simple, users can hold down on any message to flag problematic accounts or material.
At launch, it remains uncertain whether artists will be able to interact with fans using Messages. For now, Spotify emphasises that the feature is not meant to replace existing communication channels, but rather to complement them. As explained, Messages was designed to “complement” sharing via Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and TikTok, acknowledging that users already recommend music and podcasts through those platforms.
The arrival of direct messaging marks a notable step in Spotify’s evolution beyond streaming. By giving even free users access to this social layer, the company may be setting the groundwork for richer person-to-person interaction in the future.
Conversation with Ting Wei is like chatting with a weird AI bot programmed only with One Piece lore and theories, sitcom quotes and other miscellaneous pop culture references. When he’s not sleeping, he’s highly likely reading manga. In fact, the only thing he reads more than manga is the Bible, and it’s honestly pretty close.
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