Spotify: Music Sharing
Music streaming is effortless — sharing it shouldn’t be a challenge. Through user research, this project identifies barriers to music sharing on Spotify and proposes three mobile prototypes to make social interaction more intuitive.
Background
This project builds on a broader user-centered study of how people consume and share music through streaming platforms.
The research combined qualitative interviews (3 participants) and quantitative survey data (329 participants, 2017) to uncover key patterns in listening behavior, emotional engagement, and social interaction.
From this, five recurring pain points emerged:
User interface issues
Difficulties sharing music
Weak artist connection
Limited filtering options
Impersonal recommendations
Among these, sharing stood out as a persistent and socially relevant challenge — users found digital sharing awkward, fragmented, and less meaningful than physical formats like mixtapes or vinyl.
To address this, the design focus narrowed to making sharing and social interaction more visible and intuitive on Spotify. This resulted in three prototype concepts, each exploring different ways to improve icon placement, hierarchy, and accessibility
These concepts are yet to be tested but provide a foundation for reducing friction and encouraging more organic, social music sharing.
The research and documentation were conducted in Swedish; some visuals remain in Swedish.
Visual Process
User research summary
Identification of common pain points, corresponding HMW statements, and the final problem statement defined for this project.
Site Map, Information Architecture, User Flow, and Customer Journey
Concept and wireframes
Prototypes
Three mobile concepts explore how to make music sharing and chat more visible and intuitive on Spotify. Each prototype tests a different placement and interaction strategy. While untested, they provide a starting point for improving social music experiences.
Prototype 1 – Top Right Chat Button (Instagram-inspired)
Prototype 1 introduces a dedicated chat icon in the top right corner of the main interface.
Benefit: Gives users an instantly recognizable entry point for communication, similar to other social platforms like Instagram.
Impact: Makes it easier to find old messages or send new ones without navigating away from the main screen.
Goal Addressed: Reduces the mental load and steps required to start or continue a music conversation.
Prototype 2 – Persistent Share Button on the Playback Bar
Prototype 2 adds a share icon directly to the playback bar (visible while any track is playing).
Benefit: Users can share songs at any moment, without needing to expand the player view.
Impact: Encourages spontaneous sharing and enhances the social aspect of music listening.
Goal Addressed: Increases efficiency and frequency of sharing actions by minimizing clicks and navigation depth.
Prototype 3 – Chat Access in the Bottom Navigation Bar
Prototype 3 places a new chat icon in the bottom navigation (next to Home, Search, Library, etc.).
Benefit: Keeps chat access within thumb reach, aligning with mobile usability patterns and making it more natural to open while browsing.
Impact: Creates a social hub that feels like an integrated part of the Spotify experience rather than a hidden feature.
Goal Addressed: Improves discoverability and ease of access by aligning chat placement with high-frequency navigation zones.
Overall Benefit Across Prototypes
Each design explores a different approach to reducing friction and improving visibility of the social sharing experience. By repositioning or surfacing chat and sharing functions, users are encouraged to engage more frequently, transforming Spotify from a passive listening app into a more connected social space centered around music.
Next Steps
The next phase will involve usability testing and feedback gathering to evaluate which solution best supports quick access, intuitiveness, and the overall sense of social connection. Testing will also help reveal how users perceive the addition of a chat feature within Spotify’s established interface and whether it enhances or distracts from the listening experience.
Tools/Role/Time
Tools: Figma, Miro, Google Docs
Role: Research, concept design, wireframes & prototypes
Time: 3 weeks