Dont like Spotify Messages? These two big upgrades could soon change your mind

Date:
Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Description:
You can now see your friends' listening activity in real time, and send Jam requests with Spotify Messages.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Spotify has rolled out new upgrades for its Messages tabs, the first new update of 2026 You can now view what your friends are listening to in real time through chats in your Spotify Messages, and send requests to join Jams There's also talk of groups chats making an appearance in the future, but it's all hush-hush at the moment

Were only a week into the new year and Spotify is already rolling out its first major upgrade of 2026, building on last years Messages feature with two new additions: Request to Jam, and Listening activity.

As of today, Messages will give Premium subscribers on iOS and Android an insight to what your friends are listening to via an opt-in feature that
shows your current listening activity in the Messages tab.

Youll also be able to send Jam requests directly though the Spotify app,
which for me is where the real moneys at. Joining Jams just got a lot easier (Image credit: Spotify)

If like me you rely on Jams for group listening sessions then you may also find that joining them can be quite tedious. Until now, users have been restricted to joining Jams via QR codes and invitation links or by relying
on in-app pop-ups when someone is playing music from a nearby device.

With this handy new upgrade, users can request Jams simply by sending invites straight through Spotify Messages, allowing you to see when your friends are available to listen together instead of chasing them up elsewhere.

You dont even need to be in the same room to join the same Jam, so you can enjoy a group music listening session when youre apart and joining them is very simple.

All you have to do is open the Messages tab by tapping your profile image, then head to a chat and tap the new Jam button at the top-right. From there, your friend will have the option to join your Jam, and will become a host if they choose to accept. View your friends listening activity in real-time (Image credit: Spotify)

Over the past year, Spotify has rolled out some great new features ,
including my personal favorite Spotify Mix . Alongside its incorporation of Jams with Messages, Spotify is letting you see exactly what your friends are currently listening to.

Spotify introduced Listening Stats in November last year, and while this new update doesnt display your full stats in Messages, it does spotlight what music youre currently streaming. You can see your friends listening activity via the side drawers chat row or in the chats themselves and you can even
add songs to your library, start playback, and use new emoji reactions.

As mentioned, listening activity is an opt-in feature that you can amend in the Privacy and social settings tab so its completely up to you if you want your listening activity to be visible. Its also only shared with those youve already messaged. Even if you decide to disable it, you can still see what your friends are listening to given that theyve chosen to opt in on their
end. Group chats could be next

These two new upgrades will add welcome depth and purpose to Spotify
Messages, but theres still room for improvement, and the next step is group chats which would be the icing on the cake for me.

What better place is there to discuss music and share songs with your friends other than a music streaming service? It would certainly save me bags of time copying and pasting links to other social platforms.

Spotify has revealed that its currently working on a Groups feature for Messages, but a launch date has yet to be announced. Weve reached out to Spotify for more information, so well keep you updated as we learn more.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/spotify/dont-like-spotify-messages-these-two-b ig-upgrades-could-soon-change-your-mind


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