Snapchat is now letting users share the music they’re listening to in real time via a new feature in Snap Map, TechCrunch has exclusively learned.
Called “Now Playing,” the feature lets users link their streaming service account (starting with Spotify) and share what they’re currently listening to via Snap Map, and see the songs their friends are enjoying.
The feature has been integrated with Spotlight videos, which are Snapchat’s TikTok-like short-form videos, too: You can save any songs you discover in a Spotlight video directly to Spotify, or visit the track’s page on the platform to do so.
Users can choose who can see their listening activity, and the feature won’t show your last-played song or listening history, though sharing will remain active as long as you have opened Snapchat within the past 24 hours. If a user is inactive for more than 24 hours, sharing will be paused automatically, and only resumed when the app has been opened again. You can also pause sharing for three hours, 24 hours, or indefinitely.
The new feature comes as social media platforms continue to embrace music discovery and sharing. TikTok, where viral trends often shape global music charts, lets users share songs from streaming services to the social network, and also save songs they come across. Instagram, meanwhile, allows users to share what they’re listening to through Notes, which are the short status updates that appear at the top of users’ DM inboxes.
