In a move that seems to echo the early days of social networking, Instagram has unveiled a new feature that feels like a nod to the once-popular MySpace. Users of Instagram can now add a personal touch to their profiles by attaching a song of their choice, reminiscent of MySpace’s iconic profile music option.
This latest update from Instagram is particularly striking because it borrows from MySpace, a platform that saw its heyday well before Instagram’s inception and experienced a decline, in part, due to the emergence of Facebook, Instagram’s parent company.
To utilize this nostalgic feature, Instagram users can simply navigate to their profile editing page and select the “Add music to your profile” option. Within this section, users have the freedom to choose a song directly or explore recommendations in the “For You” category. Once a song is selected, users can pinpoint a specific 30-second segment of the track to showcase on their profile. This snippet will represent the user’s musical choice until they decide to update it or remove it altogether.
For those concerned about the potential for an auditory surprise, Instagram has considered user experience by ensuring that profile songs do not automatically play upon visiting someone’s page. Instead, a play button is provided for those who wish to listen, allowing for a more controlled and considerate browsing experience, especially in public settings.
Instagram has collaborated with pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter to promote its new music feature, offering an exclusive preview of her latest song “Taste” directly on her profile. This teaser comes just ahead of the full album release scheduled for tomorrow. This partnership exemplifies how Instagram is leveraging popular artists to generate excitement and engagement for its new offerings.
Earlier in the year, Instagram’s parent company, Meta, engaged in a similar promotional strategy with superstar Taylor Swift. Coinciding with the launch of her album “The Tortured Poet Society” in April, Swift created an account on Threads, an Instagram-affiliated messaging app. As part of the album’s promotion, the first group of fans to share her post were rewarded with a special badge that appeared on their Instagram profiles, adding a layer of exclusivity and fan interaction to the album’s release.
