Spotify adds Listening Activity and Request to Jam features to Messages

Spotify has introduced two new features to its in-app Messages system, Listening Activity and Request to Jam, aimed at making it easier for users to see what their contacts are listening to and to start shared listening sessions.

The company stated that the new features are rolling out on iOS and Android in regions where Spotify Messages is currently available, adding that availability will be expanded to additional markets next month.

The Listening Activity feature displays real-time playback information within Spotify Messages, allowing users to see what their contacts are currently listening to. If a user is not actively playing content, the system instead shows the most recently played track. Spotify informed that the feature is optional and is visible only to contacts with whom a user is already connected through Messages.

Spotify stated that users can view the listening activity of others even if they have not enabled the feature themselves, provided the other person has opted in. Tapping on a contact’s activity allows users to play the track, save it to their library, open additional song options or react using emojis. The company said the feature is restricted to existing message connections and can be turned off at any time through privacy settings.

To enable Listening Activity, users need to open Spotify, navigate to Privacy and social settings from the side drawer, and turn on Listening Activity. Once enabled, activity appears in the chat list and at the top of Messages conversations, with users able to tap a contact’s activity to interact with the track.

Alongside Listening Activity, Spotify is rolling out Request to Jam, a feature that allows users to invite contacts into a live Jam session directly from Messages. The feature builds on Spotify’s existing Jam functionality, which enables multiple users to listen together remotely.

Spotify stated that Request to Jam allows users to see when a contact is already listening and send a request to join. If the request is accepted, the recipient becomes the host of the Jam session, with both participants able to add tracks to a shared queue and listen in sync. Messages can be exchanged while the Jam session is active.

The company informed that Jam sessions display the names of participants and suggest tracks based on combined listening preferences. Users can leave a Jam session at any time, while unanswered requests automatically expire after a few minutes.

To use Request to Jam, users need to open a Messages chat, select the Jam option from the top-right corner and send a request. The recipient can then accept or decline the invitation. Spotify noted that free users can join Jam sessions only when invited by a Premium user.