How to See What People Are Listening to on Spotify
Spotify is way more than a simple music streaming app - it’s a complete music social platform where people can connect with each other and discover new songs together.
There are literally billions of songs on Spotify, but sometimes, it’s hard to find new music that you like.
In this case, the best course of action here is to check what others are listening to on Spotify - perhaps you can discover audio content that’s actually a hidden gem!
Luckily, there are few ways to see what friends are listening to on the platform right now.
That’s why in today’s article, we are going to be talking about:
- How to see what people are listening to on Spotify;
- What to know about private and public playlists on Spotify;
- How to check your friend activity on Spotify.
How to Share Spotify Listening Activity
Before starting, it is worth noting that most Spotify accounts are private by default.
Therefore, it is not possible to share your own new playlist if you don’t enable listening activity on your profile.
Learning how to manage your activity is the first step to check Spotify Friend’s Activity.
Likewise, this is a crucial step for those who want to fully learn how to use Spotify.
Also, although Spotify free works just fine, we recommend you get Spotify Premium in case you and your friends listen to music on the platform on a daily basis.
Step 1: Open the Settings Menu on Your Spotify Account
You can change your settings from the Spotify Desktop application (Mac and Windows PC), mobile apps, or the Spotify web player - it works in the same way.
Log in to your Spotify account on the mobile or desktop version, and look for the left menu.
Tap on it, and your main page of Spotify will open. Here, you need to click or tap on the cog icon.
Step 2: Scroll Down to the Social Tab
After tapping on the gear icon at the top right corner of the home page, you will see the tab selection menu.
Here, you need to scroll down until you find the social tab.
Under this social tab, you will see a drop-down list. Among the display options, you need to find one that says “Listening Activity.”
Step 3: Turn the Listening Activity Toggle On
Click or tap on the Listening Activity button on the social tab and toggle it on. This way, you will share Spotify listening activity with others.
Your settings will be automatically saved for further use.
For instance, if you create playlists, your friends and users who follow you can check them through the Spotify app, whether we talk about the mobile phone or desktop app.
Your recently played artists will also appear on your profile.
Remember that you can change the picture of your Spotify playlist to make it more appealing to others.
The playlist name and content can also be changed by tapping on the three dots icon that appears in the upper right corner of the playlist.
How to See What People Are Listening to on Spotify
Spotify allows you to follow friends and check your friend’s activity whenever you open Spotify.
But before being able to check their playlist option, some requirements must be met.
Conditions to See What Your Friends Listen on Spotify
There are three main conditions that will allow you to see what your friends are listening to on the Spotify app:
- Their listening activity must be public: if another Spotify user has a private session, then not even if you add them will be enough to see what they listen to on the app;
- You must add them as your friends: in order to check friend activity, the person must be on your friends list;
- You and other Spotify users can share playlists and songs on Facebook: it is possible to see the music that someone likes if they get published playlists on their Facebook live feed, which can be directly done from Spotify’s popup menu, right next to the play button.
Step 1: Open the Spotify App and Go to Settings
Open the Spotify app on your iOS or Android device and tap on the icon at the top right corner of the screen.
In this dropdown menu, you need to tap on your profile picture.
Assuming that you haven’t changed your privacy settings, go back to the drop-down menu and follow the aforementioned steps in this guide.
Step 2: Tap on Your Account Profile Picture
Select settings by tapping on your profile image, and the menu will open on the app.
You will see your playlists on your profile page. Tap on the three-dot icon that appears in the upper right corner and move on.
Step 3: Select “Add Friends” and Connect Your Facebook Accounts
Here, select the option that says “Find Friends.” Next, Spotify will ask you to connect your account to Facebook. Do so, and move on.
Step 4: Check Your Facebook Friends Activity on Spotify
Since Spotify is now connected to the Facebook app, you will see all the accounts that have done the same steps as you just did.
There, you can see what they are listening to (including each playlist) if you add them.
Alternatively, you can also look for friend’s usernames in the search bar, but this is more complicated and unlikely to succeed.
Add your friends one by one, and see each playlist that they are listening to! Easy, isn’t it?
Spotify’s social features are top-notch. Get more Spotify news and guides here, at GrowFollowing.
FAQ
Can You See What Others Are Listening to on Spotify Mobile?
Yes! Spotify mobile works perfectly for this matter, so just follow the steps in this guide and you will check your friend’s music tastes.
Can You Share a Spotify Playlist with Other Spotify Users?
Yes, you can. Simply go to the playlist you want to share, tap on the three dots that appear right there, and select the “Share” button.
Then, you can send this playlist through Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and more.
Karen is a senior technical writer and copywriter here at GrowFollowing. Her area of expertize are social media apps and new media.