As we spend more time scrolling through visual platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and less time tuning into the radio, the way we discover new music has transformed significantly. Instagram and Spotify have now partnered to enhance the connection between you and your next favorite track.
If you’re active on Instagram, you likely know that music has always been a part of the platform. For a while, users have been able to incorporate songs into their Instagram Reels, Stories, and posts. Additionally, there has been existing integration that allowed sharing a song directly from Spotify to an Instagram Story.
Interestingly, though, even if you come across a Spotify song shared in a Story, you won’t be able to listen to the audio directly on Instagram. To hear it, you must tap Play on Spotify, which takes you to the music app where you can listen.
That’s all about to change. With the new update rolling out globally today, Instagram and Spotify users can now add songs to their Spotify’s Liked Songs playlist without leaving the Instagram app. Simply tap on the audio in a Story or post, and a new Add button will appear that lets you save it directly to Spotify.
To access this new feature, ensure that both your Instagram and Spotify apps are updated and linked. For more information on linking your account to social media apps, visit Spotify’s support page.
Both Instagram and Spotify have faced criticism over the years for not adequately promoting up-and-coming artists. This new integration is certainly a step toward bridging the gap between more musicians and their audience, but will it be enough to remedy issues that have plagued them in the past, such as Instagram’s alleged “shadowbanning” of independent artists?
Despite assurances from Instagram’s leadership last year about enhancing transparency, many musicians still find their posts lost in the algorithm unless they hit certain engagement metrics.
Hopefully, this new feature will simplify the process of discovering new music for all of us while also providing support for artists trying to reach wider audiences. Although switching between apps to listen and save tracks may seem trivial, every little second counts in our fast-paced environment. These minor inconveniences can deter us from saving songs that interest us.
This feature may also position Spotify to evolve into a more social media-focused platform. Whether it will develop into its own standalone music-based social network remains to be seen, but for now, it’s solidifying its partnership with Instagram.
