Meta and Spotify Team Up to Boost Music Sharing on Instagram

Meta and Spotify are reportedly working on a new feature that could revolutionize music sharing on Instagram by enabling users to continuously share the music they’re listening to via Instagram’s Notes. This potential update could significantly enhance the user experience on Instagram, signifying a closer integration between the popular social media platform and the leading music streaming service.

The feature was uncovered by Alessandro Paluzzi, a well-known reverse engineer who frequently identifies unreleased app features. In a recent post on Meta’s Threads, Paluzzi shared a screenshot of a new Instagram feature that would allow users to “continuously share” Spotify music. This represents a shift from the current functionality, which only lets users share select songs from Instagram’s existing music library.

A notice in the screenshot reads, “You can stop sharing at any time,” suggesting users would have complete control over their music-sharing preferences.

If implemented, this feature would build on Instagram’s 2022 addition of 30-second song clips via Notes. Notes, located at the top of an Instagram user’s inbox, allow quick updates to status or messages. Since its launch, the song clip feature has been accessible in regions where Instagram holds music licenses, making it a global tool for music sharing.

The potential integration with Spotify could automate music-sharing posts, providing a steady stream of content on Instagram even when users are active on other apps. This would align with existing social networking features on Spotify, where users can “connect with Facebook” to see friends’ streaming activity through a dedicated tab on the desktop app. Spotify has also tested a Community feature that lets users see real-time streaming activity on mobile, though this feature is not yet widely available.

This collaboration isn’t Meta’s first with Spotify. In 2021, the two companies introduced a mini player that allowed Spotify users to stream directly from Facebook. Given their history of partnerships and shared concerns over Apple’s App Store restrictions, further integration seems like a natural progression.

Recent developments suggest a deepening relationship between Meta and Spotify. Technologist Chris Messina noted that Instagram integrated a “SpotifyiOS.framework” component around the release of Instagram version v.338.0. Messina also speculated that Instagram might link its new profile music function with Spotify, potentially enhancing its competitiveness against TikTok in music discovery.

Both companies have strong incentives to strengthen their partnership. Adding more social features aligns with Spotify’s ongoing efforts to enhance music discovery through social networking, while integrating more music-related content could help Meta boost user engagement and remain competitive in the social media landscape.

As Meta and Spotify explore new collaboration opportunities, users might soon see more innovative services that merge social networking with music streaming, blurring the lines between the two. Although the release timeline for this new music-sharing feature is unclear, its development suggests a commitment to offering users a more seamless and engaging experience.