Spotify Tests Snapchat-Style Stories Feature Called 'Storyline' Offering Additional Artist Content - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Spotify Tests Snapchat-Style Stories Feature Called 'Storyline' Offering Additional Artist Content

by

Spotify is testing its own version of Snapchat/Instagram-style Stories, reports TechCrunch. The short-form sharing format now ubiquitous across social media platforms is to be called "Storyline" on the music streaming service, and enables artists to share their inspirations, insights, and provide further details about their work and creative process.

spotify storyline
The format is being compared to Spotify's "Behind the Lyrics" feature which uses pop-up cards that load concurrently with the music, except users tap through different Storyline screens at their own pace and see segmented lines at the top of the screen to indicate how many slices of the story remain ahead of them.

A Spotify spokesperson told TechCrunch that Storyline is still in testing in the U.S. and in other markets on both iOS and Android, but there's no sign of it on desktop and no other details on a possible global rollout are available at this time.

Users participating in the test will see an indicator at the bottom of Spotify's player interface that alerts them to the additional content, which can include lyrics, text and images, and users can swipe up on the screen to reveal the story and start tapping through it.

The Storyline feature was first picked up on Reddit and covered by Android Police.

Tag: Spotify

Top Rated Comments

98 months ago
We didn’t want Behind The Lyrics, we didn’t want Canvas, we didn’t want the new UI, we definitely don’t want this.

Spotify is the best service, but they need to remove the bloat and focus on what they do best: playlists and discovery.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ruslan64 Avatar
98 months ago
Nobody wants stories everywhere. What do these tech giants not get. In Spotify we don’t even want behind the lyrics. All we are asking for are just plain lyrics, which should be easier to implement anyway.
Spotify is testing its own version of Snapchat/Instagram-style Stories, reports TechCrunch ('https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/13/spotify-is-testing-its-own-version-of-stories-called-storyline/'). The short-form sharing format now ubiquitous across social media platforms is to be called "Storyline" on the music streaming service, and enables artists to share their inspirations, insights, and provide further details about their work and creative process.



The format is being compared to Spotify's "Behind the Lyrics" feature which uses pop-up cards that load concurrently with the music, except users tap through different Storyline screens at their own pace and see segmented lines at the top of the screen to indicate how many slices of the story remain ahead of them.

A Spotify spokesperson told TechCrunch that Storyline is still in testing in the U.S. and in other markets on both iOS and Android, but there's no sign of it on desktop and no other details on a possible global rollout are available at this time.

Users participating in the test will see an indicator at the bottom of Spotify's player interface that alerts them to the additional content, which can include lyrics, text and images, and users can swipe up on the screen to reveal the story and start tapping through it.

The Storyline feature was first picked up on Reddit ('https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/bn3pf2/has_anyone_else_noticed_the_new_storyline_feature/') and covered by Android Police ('https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/13/spotify-storyline-lets-artists-tell-the-story-behind-their-songs-instagram-style/').

Article Link: Spotify Tests Snapchat-Style Stories Feature Called 'Storyline' Offering Additional Artist Content ('https://www.macrumors.com/2019/05/14/spotify-testing-instagram-style-stories/')
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nburwell Avatar
98 months ago
We didn’t want Behind The Lyrics, we didn’t want Canvas, we didn’t want the new UI, we definitely don’t want this.

Spotify is the best service, but they need to remove the bloat and focus on what they do best: playlists and discovery.
I couldn't of said it any better myself. I have behind the lyrics disabled, canvas disabled, I hope that if this new "feature" gets pushed out to all users, we can disable this as well.

Spotify definitely has a leg up on AM in terms of playlists and discovering music, but the bloat in the app really makes me question what in the world they're doing over there.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
98 months ago
I know as a developer, you try to stay in front of what users want, “hoping” it ends up working & being successful. We have enough stories all over the place.

A switch for only lyric mode, switch for only facts about the artist, switch for facts about the song-only modes would be better.

Promoting for new music discovery could always be better.

There just isn’t much more I want from a music playing app.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

HomeView Spotify Feature

Here's What Spotify Looks Like on Apple's HomeView

Monday November 2, 2026 8:56 am PST by
Apple's new HomeView smart home hub lacks an App Store, but it can still run some third-party audio and video apps that support CarPlay. HomeView can automatically mirror CarPlay-enabled audio and video apps from a nearby, paired iPhone, with no modifications to the app required. In a video shared on Mastodon, Broadcasts app developer Steve Troughton-Smith demonstrated what Spotify looks...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Tomorrow

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from tomorrow: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
Apple Store Logo

Apple Store in UK Permanently Closing Later This Month

Tuesday November 3, 2026 7:34 am PST by
Apple today announced that its Festival Place store in Basingstoke, England will be permanently closing on Saturday, November 21. Apple Festival Place Apple had already announced that the store would be closing in November, but it had not provided the public with a specific date until now. Apple's store inside the Festival Place shopping center opened in 2011, so it had a 15-year run....
Latest Stories
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
7 hours ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
8 hours ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
9 hours ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
9 hours ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
10 hours ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
11 hours ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
13 hours ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
13 hours ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
14 hours ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
14 hours ago
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
14 hours ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
16 hours ago
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
16 hours ago
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
17 hours ago
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
17 hours ago
Siri AI Waitlist Now Limited to Times of 'High Demand,' Says Apple
Siri AI Waitlist Now Limited to Times of 'High Demand,' Says Apple
19 hours ago
See Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro in Action
See Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro in Action
19 hours ago
MacBook Neo Shipments Expected to Double in 2027
MacBook Neo Shipments Expected to Double in 2027
19 hours ago
HomeView Code Suggests Future Support for AI Chatbot Apps, Anti-Spoofing Protection
HomeView Code Suggests Future Support for AI Chatbot Apps, Anti-Spoofing Protection
20 hours ago
Got an iPhone Duo on Launch Day? Tomorrow Could Be Your Last Chance to Return It
Got an iPhone Duo on Launch Day? Tomorrow Could Be Your Last Chance to Return It
21 hours ago
Apple Launching Five New Products Tomorrow
Apple Launching Five New Products Tomorrow
23 hours ago
Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 256 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 256 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
1 day ago
Apps Can Now Try to Stop You From Canceling Subscriptions
Apps Can Now Try to Stop You From Canceling Subscriptions
1 day ago
'Super Mario Odyssey' Can Now Run on Apple TV Thanks to AI
'Super Mario Odyssey' Can Now Run on Apple TV Thanks to AI
1 day ago
How 'Resident Evil' Director Zach Cregger Uses His iPhone to Make Movies
How 'Resident Evil' Director Zach Cregger Uses His iPhone to Make Movies
1 day ago
HomePod Mini 2's Amount of RAM Confirmed
HomePod Mini 2's Amount of RAM Confirmed
1 day ago
Apple TV's '12 Days of Snoopy' Special Arrives November 13
Apple TV's '12 Days of Snoopy' Special Arrives November 13
1 day ago
Apple is Putting Employees on an AI Budget
Apple is Putting Employees on an AI Budget
1 day ago
Apple Releases Xcode 27.3 Beta With Three New Features
Apple Releases Xcode 27.3 Beta With Three New Features
2 days ago
Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3
Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3
2 days ago