Spotify recently introduced a new social listening feature that lets multiple people DJ for your group party playlist. Rolling out globally today, Spotify Jam allows up to 32 Spotify users (as reported). techcrunch) to participate together in real-time listening sessions, add songs to a shared playlist queue, and receive recommendations that bridge the gap between group members’ tastes in music.
The feature is available to both free and premium Spotify account holders, but only Spotify Premium subscribers (which start at $5.99) can start and invite others to a Jam session. If they want to listen remotely, Jam participants will be able to select the device they want to play music from and see who has added specific tracks.
Premium subscribers hosting a session can manage who is in the jam, track order, and remove any songs from the default lineup. Hosts can also enable guest controls that give other jam participants the ability to remove tracks or change the order of songs. Spotify Premium members can try the feature themselves by clicking the speaker icon or three-dot menu within a playlist and selecting the “Start a Jam” option.
Then there are a few ways to add others to the Jam Session. Hosts can invite others by tapping two Bluetooth-enabled devices such as a phone or tablet together (provided they both support the feature), generating a QR code, or sharing a direct link. If it all seems too much to handle while you’re all having a good time, there’s another way. Spotify users who share a Wi-Fi connection will also be prompted to join an active Jam when they open the app.
There are several third-party services, like JQBX and Jukestar, that have overtaken Spotify to provide a similar collaborative listening experience, so it makes sense for Spotify to release its own native version of the feature. It also helps justify the price increase for the premium subscription that the streaming giant introduced earlier this year, though it seems the costlier subscriptions will make up for other upcoming features like Spotify’s long-awaited HiFi support. Will be required.
Spotify Jam is becoming available to all users globally on Tuesday, September 26.