Experiencing music can be a delightfully social activity, and Spotify fully embraces this idea with features designed for group listening. One of the standout offerings is the Blend feature, which mixes your favorite tracks with those of your friends into a collaborative playlist. If you’re looking to connect with your friends in real-time, the Jam feature allows you to share and enjoy music together, no matter where you are. In this guide, we will explore how to create a Jam on Spotify.
How to Start a Jam on Spotify
To initiate a Jam session on Spotify, you’ll need a Premium account. However, joining someone else’s Jam doesn’t require a paid subscription; users with free accounts can still enjoy the music in sync with their friends. It’s essential to note that if you’re on the free tier, the audio will only stream from the host’s device. This means you’ll need to be in proximity to the host to fully enjoy the experience. If everyone is gathered together, Jam enables all participants to take turns adding their favorite tracks to the playlist.
For a remote listening experience where you want to access Jams from your own device, upgrading to a Premium plan is advisable. While free account users can join a Jam and switch to listening independently, doing so will result in exiting the Jam.
Once you host a Jam, you can invite up to 32 friends to join you. They can then search for tracks to add to the playlist, provided you allow it.
Creating Your First Jam
To get started with your Jam on the mobile app:
- Open Spotify and begin playing a track.
- Tap the device icon located in the Now Playing bar.
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- Select Start a Jam at the bottom of the screen.
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- You can also initiate a Jam from a playlist by pressing the three dots next to the Download button.
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- Choose Start a Jam from the options.
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For those using the Spotify desktop app, click the device button in the Now Playing bar after starting a song and click on Start Jam. You can also create a Jam from a playlist page by clicking the three dots and selecting the same option.
Inviting Friends to Your Jam
Once your Jam is initiated, you’ll see various invite options:
- Share Link: Tap the Share Link button to send an invite directly through messaging or email applications.
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- Utilize Quick Share or AirDrop based on your device, or copy the link for manual distribution.
- Auto-Invite People Nearby: Toggle this option to automatically invite people connected to your Wi-Fi or within Bluetooth range.
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- Share QR Code: Share a QR code for others to scan, or send a screenshot of it if they are not nearby.
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Note that the QR code and Share Link options are available in the desktop app.
Managing Songs in Your Spotify Jam
As the Jam host, you have the ability to manage the playlist effectively:
- To add songs, simply tap the Add Songs button.
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- Spotify suggests tracks based on your taste, and you can also manually search for songs to add by tapping the + button.
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- When tracks are added, your profile picture will indicate which songs you contributed.
- Guests can control playback settings by default, but you can restrict this by adjusting settings in your profile on the Jam card.
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On the desktop application, while adding new songs is limited, you can change what plays next by selecting Spotify’s suggested tracks and enabling the Let others change what’s playing option if you wish to empower participants.
If you wish to remove a song from the playlist, swipe left on the desired track on mobile.
Removing Participants from Your Jam
Should you need to remove someone from your Jam session, locate the Jam bar and tap the profile pictures of participants on the left side within the app.
Identify the participant to be removed and select Remove.
Concluding a Jam Session
As a host, to bring your jam session to a close, access the Jam card and press the End button. This action will immediately conclude the session for everyone involved.
If you are a guest wanting to exit the session, you can do so by pressing Leave on the Jam card. The session will continue for other participants until the host decides to end it.
Spotify serves not only as a platform for exploring vast music selections but also hosts an abundance of podcasts. For those who enjoy winding down with Spotify before sleep, there are numerous features designed to enhance your listening experience.
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