Spotify’s live audio app may be inactive, but the company is leveraging the technology to enhance the connection between fans and artists through the “Listening Party” feature. This feature allows highly engaged fans to participate in events like album releases, giving them the chance to ask artists questions.
TechCrunch confirmed that Spotify has been testing this feature in the U.S. and Indonesia since December 2023, with plans to expand to more markets.
“It’s still in the early stages, but we’ve had a few artists test it over the last few months, including Zara Larsson and Bleachers,” explained a Spotify spokesperson.
Image Credits: Threads/Chris
A Listening Party is featured in the events section of an artist’s profile. Spotify noted that while typically top fans of a band would receive a specific invite, any Spotify Premium user can join the Listening Party through the listing. The company didn’t specify the criteria for top fans but mentioned those who have shown a long-term affinity for the artist.
Utilizing real-time audio tech, fans can request to interact with the artist “on stage” during a session, and each listening party includes a live chat room for attendees.
This feature also enables fans to shop for the latest merchandise from artists while streaming music with fellow fans. Last year, Spotify introduced an in-app Merch Hub to provide personalized recommendations for artist merchandise.
Spotify has previously introduced a Group Session feature for listening to music with friends. Now, it aims to merge elements of group listening with live audio interactions through the Listening Party feature.
In recent years, the company has been focusing on enhancing direct engagement between fans and artists through merchandise sales, events, and ticketing.
