Snapchat Adds Real-Time Music Sharing Feature

Snapchat has introduced a new feature that allows users to share the music they are currently listening to in real time through Snap Map. The tool, called “Now Playing,” lets users connect their streaming accounts – beginning with Spotify – and display active tracks for friends to see.

Users can also view what songs their friends are playing. Privacy controls allow individuals to choose who sees their listening activity. The feature does not display listening history or the last-played track. Sharing remains active only if the user has opened Snapchat within the previous 24 hours; after that period of inactivity it pauses automatically and resumes upon reopening the app. Users may also manually pause sharing for three hours, 24 hours, or indefinitely.

The capability extends to Snapchat’s short-form video product, Spotlight. Songs discovered in Spotlight videos can be saved directly to Spotify or opened on the streaming service’s track page.

Manny Adler, Snapchat’s head of music, said music serves as a personal form of expression that gains additional meaning when shared among friends. The feature, he noted, adds a layer of discovery to Snap Map by letting users share the soundtrack of their day through people they already know.

Snap Map, launched in 2017, originally focused on friend locations and public Snaps. It has since expanded to include local hotspots and activities. The platform reports more than 450 million monthly users.