Spotify | Live Session Feature
Live Session is an extension of Spotify’s Jam Session feature, where users are able to browse and join live sessions of music hosted by other users on Spotify. Bringing back the classic radio experience, this new feature is designed to bring people out of their music bubbles by exposing them to live curated playlist by real people, not algorithms. It aims to make exploring new music more accessible and community-driven.
UI/UX Design | User Research | Design Systems
UI/UX Design | User Research | Design Systems
Team
Individual
Individual
Duration
6 Weeks
Fall, 2024
6 Weeks
Fall, 2024
Programs
Figma
Figma
Problem Space
Discovering new music should be an exciting experience, but many Spotify listeners are left frustrated by repetitive playlists and limited recommendations by Spotify’s algorithm.
Pain Points
Repetitive playlists diminish the joy of listening to music.
Spotify Discovery limits exposure to diverse music, suggesting songs users have already heard or with a similar feel.
Challenges in connecting with other users online due to UI that makes it difficult to reach other profiles.
As one user puts it: "These days Spotify makes life difficult for listeners that want to discover new music… I’m getting to hate songs I used to love—they show up everywhere. I wish there was an option to get something less mainstream/more obscure/more random in algorithm-generated playlists." —Spotify user
How might we leverage Spotify Jam Session's social features to shift Spotify’s focus from individualized listening experiences to more exploratory and shared experiences?
This project makes exploring music more accessible by allowing users to join and host live sessions of music with anyone online.
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Find a Live
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Feature 01
Spotify Lives leverages the platform's existing endless scrolling design, offering users a curated feed of currently active Lives tailored to their interests.
Explore an endless stream of active Live sessions hosted by users online.
Spotify Lives leverages the platform's existing endless scrolling design, offering users a curated feed of currently active Lives tailored to their interests.
Feature 02
Search for a Specific Live.
Allowing users to find specific Lives just like they would searching for specific songs and playlists.
Feature 03
Browse through a curated list of all active Lives.
Similar to how Spotify curates personalized music recommendations, Lives are organized based on each user's unique tastes and preferences.
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What can you do once you’re in a Live?
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Feature 04
Request a song to be played.
Allowing users to find specific Lives just like they would searching for specific songs and playlists.
Feature 05
Hosts receive your request.
Hosts receive a notification when a song has been requested. The song is added to the Requested pile, and they have the option to add it to the Live’s queue.
Feature 06
Hosts can add your request to the queue
Hosts can gauge the popularity of song requests through upvotes. Based on these votes and their own preferences, hosts can add requests to the queue, creating a collaborative Live experience.
Feature 07
Upvote other requested songs.
Upvoting aims to create community-driven playlists and encourages users to engage with others.
Feature 08
Engage with other listeners by leaving a comment
Live links comments to specific song timestamps, allowing users to see exactly when each comment was made during a track.
When users leave a comment, Spotify automatically timestamps it at the current point of the song. They can adjust the comment's placement by scrubbing the green line and see the Live's current position marked by a blue line. Scrubbing the track allows users to listen to the song at their cursor's position, and exiting the commenting screen returns them to the Live stream.
Clicking a comment’s timestamp takes users to that precise moment in the song, with an option to easily return to the current point in the Live session.
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Where can I find a Live once it’s over?
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Feature 09
Recall old Lives, revisit old comments, and save songs to your playlists.
After a Live ends, it's automatically saved in the user’s Library as a playlist, allowing for them to relisten and save songs they might have missed. Past Live comments are linked to tracks, showing user activity for each song. Users can scrub through tracks to filter comments by timestamp, streamlining navigation.
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3 Ways to Host a Live
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Feature 10
1. Host a Public Live with song requests enabled
Hosts can create a Public Live session, open for anyone online to join and submit song requests. From the Settings, they can change the ability for listeners to request music and for Hosts to change music. This type of Live can be ideal for those who simply want to share music and collaborate with anyone online.
Feature 11
2. Host a Public Live with song requests disabled.
This could be for famous artists hosting listening sessions for new albums or sharing music by other artists they admire. It could also be for artists looking to collaborate and co-host Lives with fellow musicians.
Feature 12
3. Host a Private Live with everyone as Hosts
Private sessions, similar to Jam Session, are ideal for small groups, allowing selected individuals to act as DJs during a party or while studying together remotely.
Feature 13
Add songs that fit your Live
Add songs that fit your Live
Hosts are able to add songs to the queue from anywhere in the app.
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Process
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Figma Prototype
Library of Components
Thanks for reading!
Explore the Figma prototype here. Navigate by using the Flows.
Please email me for more details.
Explore the Figma prototype here. Navigate by using the Flows.
Please email me for more details.