So, you're thinking of doing a listening party with your friends? Good call. Whether it's a new album drop, a throwback night, or just vibing out, Spotify Premium makes it pretty easy to do — even if everyone's sitting in a different city.

I’ve done this a few times myself, and trust me, it’s way more fun than just sending someone a link to a song.

Here’s how you can set one up, step by step.

Step 1: Make Sure You All Have Spotify Premium

Before you get too excited, just check that everyone you want to invite actually has Spotify Premium. The group session feature doesn’t work with free accounts. It’s kind of annoying, but that’s just how it is.

Step 2: Decide What You’re Gonna Listen To

You can keep it chill with a shared playlist or plan a full album run-through. Some people like to do throwback nights — like all 2000s songs — or discover new artists together. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Just decide the vibe ahead of time.

Step 3: Start a Group Session

This is the main part.

  1. Open Spotify on your phone.
  2. Play a song or playlist.
  3. Tap the “Connect” icon — it looks like a little speaker with waves.
  4. Scroll down and choose “Start a remote group session.”
  5. Share the link or code with your friends.

Once they join, you’re all synced up — when one person skips a song, it skips for everyone. Feels like you're sitting in the same room.

Step 4: Add a Way to Talk

Spotify doesn’t have built-in chat, so if you want to talk while the music plays, you’ll need something else.

  • Use a WhatsApp group or Telegram
  • Open a quick Zoom or Google Meet
  • Or if you’re gamers, just hop on Discord voice

This makes the party way more fun. You can react to songs in real time or laugh at someone’s weird music taste.

Step 5: Let Others Add Music (Optional)

If you trust your friends’ music taste, let them throw in some songs too. You don’t have to hog the playlist. Just remember, every group has that one guy who adds five remix versions of the same song — maybe don’t give him full control.

Step 6: Keep the Flow Going

Don’t over-plan. Let the songs play, talk when you feel like it, maybe play a little game like “Guess the Year” or “Who Picked This Song?” It’s about hanging out, not running a radio station.

Final Thoughts

Spotify Premium makes it pretty smooth to host a virtual listening party. It doesn’t take a lot of tech knowledge, just a bit of coordination. Once you’ve done it once, it becomes super easy to do again.

So next time there’s a new album or you just want to chill with friends, set one up. It’s way better than texting music links one at a time.