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Music-streaming giant Spotify announced today that it’s rolling out direct messages to both free and premium subscribers as part of an effort to attract more users.
Spotify is gradually introducing the feature on mobile devices to users above the age of 16 in select markets, a company spokesperson told CBC News in a written statement. This means DMs will be available in Canada “in the coming days,” the spokesperson added.
“Word of mouth has always been at the heart of the Spotify experience,” the Spotify spokesperson told CBC News.
“We’ve heard from our users that they want the option of a central place within Spotify to keep track of their shared links and talk about the content they’re listening to, watching and enjoying without leaving the app.”
Spotify used to have a similar messaging feature but it was removed in 2017 over low engagement. This time, the company is banking on the sharp growth in subscribers over the past few years to revive the feature and grab market share.
The music streamer had 696 million monthly active users in its second quarter of 2025.
According to the news release, the DM feature allows people to share Spotify content and react with text or emojis. Users have the choice to accept or reject message requests from friends and family.
‘Do we need it?’
The company has been focused on boosting margins through price hikes while balancing user growth amid intensifying competition from rivals such as Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.
But some of the online reaction to the announcement has been mild at best — and critical at worst.
On Reddit, some Spotify users commented that the app has “come full circle” by reintroducing its DM feature. Others said they’d rather see the company improve the listening experience.
“Why is every app trying to be all other apps, what’s next, Spotify stories?” wrote one person in the TrueSpotify subreddit.
“I don’t need social networking on my music player,” commented another person.
“Do we need it?” wrote another.
Pop music from the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009 is picking up steam on streaming platforms like Spotify, and some believe it’s because it once again fits the vibe of the moment.
On X, there was a similar sentiment, with some people joking that Spotify DMs is just another way for people to cheat on their partners or stalk a crush.
“No thanks, I’m not signing up for unsolicited playlists and weird messages,” wrote one user.
“I just want to listen to my songs in peace,” wrote another.
As the company notes, “Spotify’s Terms of Use and Platform Rules against illegal and harmful content still apply to Messages, so if something doesn’t feel right, you can easily report that content or account.”
