According to TechCrunch, Spotify announced on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, that it’s introducing two new social features within its Messages platform. The “Listening Activity” feature will let users see what their friends are streaming in real time at the top of chat windows. The “Request to Jam” feature allows Premium users to send an invite to start a collaborative Jam session directly through a message. These features are rolling out now on iOS and Android in markets where Messages is available, with a broad availability target of early February. Listening Activity is available to all users with Messages access, while only Premium users can initiate a Jam request, though Free users can join if invited. Because they’re part of Messages, both features are restricted to users aged 16 and older.
Spotify’s social play
Here’s the thing: Spotify has been trying to become a social app for years, but it’s always felt a bit clunky. We share links on Instagram or text a song to a friend, leaving Spotify entirely. The company launched its own Messages feature back in August 2025, and these new additions are a clear attempt to make that system actually useful. The goal is obvious—keep you in the app. Every time you leave to share something on another platform, that’s a chance you might not come back. By baking real-time listening and Jam invites directly into chats, Spotify hopes to make its own walled garden a bit more enticing. It’s a classic retention play.
How it works and the privacy catch
So, how does it work? First, you have to opt-in. You navigate to Settings, find “Privacy & Social,” and flip on “listening activity.” That’s a crucial detail. Once it’s on, your friends in Messages will see your current track and can tap it to play, save, or react with an emoji. For Jams, a Premium user taps a “Jam” button in the chat, sending a request. If accepted, the other user becomes the host and you can build a queue together. But there‘s a big asterisk here: you can only message people you’ve previously shared content with, like playlist collaborators or past Jam buddies. It’s not an open social network. And while messages are encrypted, Spotify’s announcement confirms they are not end-to-end encrypted. That’s a notable trade-off for convenience.
Will anyone actually use this?
That’s the real question, isn’t it? I’m skeptical. Adding another messaging app to your life is a big ask, even if it’s tucked inside a service you already use. The opt-in for listening activity is smart—nobody wants their guilty pleasure playlist broadcasted by default—but it also means adoption might be slow. And the age restriction? That just highlights how carefully Spotify is treading here. The success of this hinges entirely on whether the experience is seamless enough to beat the habit of just screenshotting your Now Playing and sending it via iMessage or WhatsApp. Spotify’s betting that real-time integration and one-tap Jam starts are compelling enough. We’ll see by early February if users agree.
