Spotify is working to empower artists, and it’s coming after Instagram’s most popular feature along the way.
With over 100-million premium subscribers, Spotify is already the biggest streaming platform in music by a wide margin. That kind of lead allows the company to work on expanding other areas of its business, and that includes making the platform more social.
Now testing on iOS and Android devices, Spotify Storylines provide listeners with behind-the-scenes information about songs direct from artists. The information is presented like an Instagram Story, with a carousel of cards featuring a combination of text and images that you can tap through. Android Police notes that the feature is only available on a select number of songs right now, including Sucker by the Jonas Brothers, and a handful of songs by Billie Eilish.
Here’s a look at Storylines in action:
At the time of posting, Storylines are only available to The Jonas Brothers, and Billie Eilish, and not every mobile user can see the functionality. Spotify most likely approached the artists directly for their participation in the program, and as of right now, there are no public plans to roll the feature out to more talent.
That said, industry analysts have long predicted that Spotify would move into more social and editorial content. Storylines would give artists a direct line of communication to their listeners, and the possibilities that line presents are limitless. Artists can detail the story behind a song, promote a tour, promote recordings, or even provide steps to joining their official fan club.
In a statement, a spokesperson from the company said, “We are always testing new ways to create better experiences for more users,” but did not confirm when the feature would be released more broadly.
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