Spotify rolls out Messages feature for sharing music, podcasts and more

Spotify has made it easier to send direct messages to someone, but with music instead of text. The streaming giant has rolled out Messages, a new in-app chat feature that allows users to share songs, podcasts and audiobooks right inside the app.

This update nudges Spotify away from being just a listening app and closer to a social platform where recommendations travel as quickly as memes.

Who can use it, and where?

Age limit: The feature is available to users 16 and older.

Rollout: It’s launching across both iOS and Android, starting with select markets worldwide.

Access: Users can find Messages inside the app’s “Inbox” tab.

This isn’t Spotify’s first attempt at social — past experiments like Spotify Greenroom fizzled out. But with Messages, the company seems to be banking on the simple, universal pull of chatting about what you love.

How it works

One-to-one conversations only: Users can send songs, playlists, podcasts, or audiobooks directly.

In-chat reactions: Add text, emojis, or reply back — making the experience feel closer to WhatsApp.

Smart nudges: Spotify suggests messaging people you already share Blends, Jams, or Family/Duo plans with.

Message requests: If you start a chat with someone for the first time, they’ll have to approve it.

Mobile-first: Messages is only available on phones for now — no desktop version yet.

Discovery meets conversation

Until now, sharing on Spotify meant pushing links through WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. That worked fine, but it also meant Spotify ceded control of the conversation. With Messages, Spotify is building its own closed loop — where music discovery, sharing, and chatting all happen under one roof.

The company says Messages will be closely integrated with tools such as:

Blend: Automatically generated playlists between two users.

Jam: Real-time listening sessions.

Group requests: A feature that allows multiple people to suggest tracks for a shared playlist.

Safety and privacy

Spotify is emphasising security with this rollout.

Encryption: All conversations are encrypted in transit and at rest.

Controls: Users can block, report, or reject messages.

Requests: First-time chats require recipient approval, limiting spam.

These guardrails are especially important as Spotify opens up private interactions for the first time.

What does this mean for artists and creators?

For listeners, Messages is a fun new way to nudge a friend into hearing “that song you must check out”. But for creators, it could be bigger.

Spotify has always struggled with the tension between algorithmic discovery and human recommendations. Messages leans into the latter, letting fans do some of the discovery work themselves. For an emerging artist, this could mean their track is shared in a direct, intimate way — potentially faster and more meaningfully than through a playlist or algorithm.

So, is Spotify becoming social?

Not quite a full-blown social network yet – there are no public feeds, no group chats, and no comments. But this is a step in that direction.

Like YouTube (with shares) or TikTok (where songs go viral via interaction), Spotify is moving closer to making music not just something you consume but something you talk about.

With Messages, Spotify is betting that music is best enjoyed not in isolation but in conversation.