Spotify has taken a tip from Snapchat with its new feature for sharing music via scannable images. The new Spotify Codes feature creates a unique barcode and..
Spotify has taken a tip from Snapchat with its new feature for sharing music via scannable images. The new Spotify Codes feature creates a unique barcode and album cover image for every song, artist, and playlist. Scan these Spotify Codes with new camera in the Spotify app’s search bar to instantly play that music.
Spotify Codes could make it easier for friends to share music with each other and artists to promote their work. After receiving a tip from reader Moshe Icaacian, we reached out to Spotify for info, and the company said it will share more details on Monday.
To pull up a Spotify Code, just tap the ‘three dots’ button on the right side of the screen while playing a song, or looking at artist or playlist. To scan one, go to the search bar, tap the camera icon, then hover the camera over a code on a phone, computer screen, or printout. You can also upload a screenshot or photo of a Spotify Code to scan it, for if you see it shared in another app like Instagram or over text message.
You can try it yourself by scanning the code for new song by sultry indie dance band Cathedrals:
Spotify Codes could also be a constant visual reminder around the web that you could be listening to on-demand music. Similar to how Facebook colonized the web with Like buttons, and Snapchat’s Snapcodes wound up as profile photos on Twitter and elsewhere, Spotify Codes could work to promote the streaming service itself as well as the music to which they’ re linked.
This kind of viral growth strategy could prove important to Spotify as it races Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Pandora to turn radio and MP3 listeners into streamers. Considering how Apple and SoundCloud have copied Spotify’s wildly succesful personalized playlist Discover Weekly (that TechCrunch suggested it build back in 2014) , we’ ll see if other streaming services make their own scannable song codes.
