In the ever-evolving world of social media, it’s not unusual for platforms to borrow and repurpose each other’s features. Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms today, has now introduced a new music feature resembling one of Myspace’s iconic offerings. Yes, you read that correctly—Instagram has taken a page from Myspace’s playbook, a platform that saw its heyday long before Instagram existed.
How does the new feature work?
So, how does this new feature operate? Instagram users can now attach a song to their profile, bringing back memories of the early days of Myspace. To do this, go to your profile settings, select “Add music to your profile,” and choose your desired track. You can search for songs or browse the “For You” section. Once you’ve selected a song, you can pick a specific 30-second segment to feature on your profile. This snippet will remain until you decide to change it or perhaps realise that certain features might be better left in the past.
But don’t worry—unlike Myspace, where music plays automatically as soon as you land on a profile, Instagram’s approach is more subtle. The song won’t start playing unless you click the play button, allowing you to avoid any unexpected audio surprises when scrolling through profiles in public.
A star-studded promotion
Instagram hasn’t introduced this feature quietly. The platform has teamed up with singer Sabrina Carpenter to promote this new addition. Fans of the artist can get an exclusive first listen to a clip of her latest song, “Taste,” directly on her profile.
This isn’t the first time Instagram’s parent company, Meta, has collaborated with major pop stars to roll out new features. Earlier this year, Meta partnered with Taylor Swift to launch her Threads account in conjunction with the release of her album “The Tortured Poet Society” in April. As a bonus, the first group of people who shared her post received a unique badge on their profiles, further cementing the connection between social media and pop culture.
A nod to nostalgia
Instagram’s decision to introduce a MySpace-like feature is undoubtedly a nod to nostalgia. Myspace, once a dominant force in social media, eventually faded as platforms like Facebook and Instagram rose to prominence. Now, Instagram appears to be reviving one of Myspace’s most memorable features, perhaps appealing to users who remember the early days of social media or simply looking to offer a new way to personalise profiles.
Whether this feature will become as iconic on Instagram as on Myspace remains to be seen. However, Instagram continues to experiment and innovate, even if it means drawing inspiration from platforms of the past.
