Spotify to roll out to free and premium users 16 and older

Spotify to roll out to free and premium users 16 and older

Spotify has announced the rollout of its messaging feature to both free and premium users aged 16 and older, as reported by Jess Weatherbed on The Verge [1]. This new feature allows users to share music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly within the Spotify app, enhancing user engagement and interaction.

The messaging feature can be accessed by tapping the share icon while listening to content in the Now Playing view, and selecting a friend to send it to. Users can share content with those they share a Spotify plan with or other users they've interacted with through Spotify's social features like Jams, Blends, and Collaborative Playlists. Any shared audio content will be stored in the Messages inbox, making it easier for users to find and revisit shared recommendations.

The introduction of this feature aims to consolidate content recommendations that currently happen over texts, social media, and third-party messaging services into a single location. Spotify emphasizes that the feature is protected by industry-standard encryption, ensuring user data privacy and security.

The rollout of this feature coincides with Spotify's ongoing efforts to improve user engagement and operational efficiency, as highlighted in recent financial disclosures [2]. The company's focus on enhancing user engagement through product innovation and deepened platform partnerships underscores its commitment to long-term revenue growth despite ongoing high content costs.

While the messaging feature is available to free users, it remains to be seen how Spotify will leverage this new functionality to drive additional revenue streams. The company has stated that the feature is intended to complement existing social media interactions rather than replace them.

References:

[1] Jess Weatherbed, "Spotify’s new messaging feature can even be used by free accounts," The Verge, July 2, 2025, https://www.theverge.com/news/765771/spotify-messages-dms-audio-sharing-feature

[2] "Investors may respond to Spotify's latest features," Yahoo Finance, July 2, 2025, https://finance.yahoo.com/news/investors-may-respond-spotify-spot-103035876.html