Is sharing music your love language? Here's how to make a collaborative playlist

Cody Godwin, USA TODAY
·2 min read

More than 570 million people around the world listened to Spotify in 2023, according to the company, so why not spend 2024 listening to music with your friends?

Collaborative playlists are the modern day, digital version of the mixtape and burned CD that generations past used to share great tunes with the people in their lives.

With that in mind, streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music now have a collaborative playlist feature that lets multiple users add and rearrange tracks on a singular playlist. The feature is great for everyday listening, specific events like road trips and dance parties or as an epic workout mix.

Watch this video to see how easy it is to create a collaborative playlist with your friends.

Spotify shared playlist

Free and premium Spotify users can make their playlists a group effort for anyone with a Spotify account.

To collaborate on a playlist on Spotify using the mobile app:

  1. Find or create the playlist you want to collaborate on.

  2. Tap the three dots.

  3. Find and tap ‘Invite collaborators.’

  4. Invite someone to collaborate by sharing the playlist via a link, text message or via social media platforms.

You can also tap the silhouette with a plus sign to invite collaborators.

If you’re using Spotify's desktop app, you can invite collaborators by:

  1. Tapping the three dots.

  2. Clicking ‘Invite collaborators.’

  3. Sharing the link. The link is only valid for a week, and a new one will need to be created to re-share the playlist after it expires.

You can also remove a collaborator from a playlist. Tap the three dots or drop-down arrow next to their name, then select ‘Remove as collaborator.’

Shared playlist on Apple Music

Apple Music lets users collaborate on playlists, but using the feature requires a subscription.

To collaborate on an Apple playlist:

  1. Find or create the playlist you want to share.

  2. Tap the button that looks like a silhouette with a plus sign near the top of the playlist.

  3. Tap ‘Start Collaborating.’

  4. Invite your friends!

Apple Music also lets collaborators react to songs with emojis, so you can let everyone know how fire the new Beyoncé track is.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to make a collaborative playlist on Apple Music or Spotify