Snapchat has launched a new feature called Now Playing, letting users share the music they are listening to in real time through Snap Map.
Making it possible for friends to discover songs and connect over music, the feature works with Spotify at launch.
Once users link their Spotify account to Snapchat, they can choose who sees their listening activity and view the songs their friends are playing on Snap Map.
Users can also tap on a song to open it in Spotify, save it to their Liked Songs, or watch Spotlight videos that use the same track. Songs discovered while watching Spotlight videos can also be saved directly to Spotify.
Snap said users have full control over who can view their listening activity and can share it with all Snapchat friends, only friends they already share their location with, selected friends, or no one at all.
The company also said the feature does not display a user’s listening history or the last song they played. Music sharing stays active only if Snapchat has been opened within the previous 24 hours.
If a user does not open the app for more than a day, sharing pauses automatically until they return. Users can also pause sharing for three hours, 24 hours or indefinitely.
The update expands Snap Map, which already attracts more than 450 million monthly users. Since its launch in 2017, the feature has grown beyond location sharing to include public Snaps, popular places, local activities and other discovery tools. Music is now part of that experience.
Explaining the idea behind the feature, Manny Adler, Snapchat’s head of Music, said, “Music is one of the most personal ways people express themselves, and it becomes even more meaningful when it brings friends closer.
“Now Playing adds a new layer of expression and discovery to Snap Map, helping Snapchatters share the soundtrack to their day and find new music through the people they already know.”
Users can connect their Spotify account from several places within Snapchat, including Snap Map, Sounds, friend profiles and the Settings menu.
Snapchat said Now Playing is now rolling out in countries where both Snapchat and Spotify are available. Canada will receive the feature at a later date.
