Spotify gets social with new ‘Jam’ feature

WEB DESK: Spotify on Tuesday launched a new social listening feature called Jam that allows multiple people to DJ for group party playlists in real time.

Jam sessions can include up to 32 Spotify users, both free and Premium subscribers. Only Premium subscribers can start and invite others to a Jam session.

To start a Jam session, Premium subscribers can click the speaker icon or the three-dot menu within a playlist and select the “Start a Jam” option. Then, they can invite others to the session by tapping two Bluetooth-enabled devices together, generating a QR code, or sharing a direct link. Spotify users who share a Wi-Fi connection will also be prompted to join an active Jam when they open the app.

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Once a Jam session is started, all participants can add songs to the shared playlist queue and receive recommendations that bridge the gaps between group members’ tastes in music. Premium subscribers hosting a session can manage who’s in the Jam, the track order, and remove any songs from the lineup. They can also enable guest controls that give other Jam participants the ability to remove tracks or change the song order.

Jam is similar to third-party services like JQBX and Jukestar, but it’s the first native collaborative listening feature from Spotify. It’s also one of the new features that Spotify is offering to justify its recent price increase for Premium subscriptions.