What’s the Story with Facebook’s Music Stories?

Putting the media in “social media,” Facebook has once again upped the ante when it comes to increasing breadth and reach for those wish to shout from the hills all manner of concerns.

A new feature allows Facebook users to share a 30-second song clip from Apple Music or Spotify directly in their News Feeds using the Facebook iOS app. In doing so, they’ve brought back a digital term for the ought ages – the widget. With “Music Stories,” any song clip shared via Apple Music or Spotify will presto-change-o manifest as a playable widget, complete with album art and a link to listen to the full track. (Airplay gatekeepers… you have been alerted).

Facebook has chosen to keep it real, bridging generational appeal with a representative “spinning vinyl” icon that launches upon clicking “play.” Facebook director of product Michael Cerda explains thusly: “The preview is streamed from either Apple Music or Spotify (depending on the source of the link shared), and can be purchased from or saved to the respective music streaming service.”  Natch, the “Music Stories” can be liked, commented on, and shared. And natch, the hope is that this feature will extend to additional streaming services down the road. No word yet on the feature’s availability for Android users. Cerda took to the blogosphere to share “Today we are enabling better music discovery and sharing on Facebook… We hope by making this experience better, artists will share more, friends will share and engage more, and music will become a better part of the Facebook experience overall.”

Some have noted that the “embed” nature of this feature aligns the usability more with the Soundclouds of the world than with the Spotifys. Though unlike Spotify, a background desktop app is not a required installation. Embedded codes from Apple Music can sing on their own without a required iTunes app (or subscription!) Jorge Espinel, Spotify’s Head of Global Business Development, said in a statement “We’re excited to be a part of Music Stories with Facebook and provide Spotify listeners with a more engaging and simple way to listen to, discover and share music they love.”

All of this can’t help remind one of ye olde Myspace and its ego-stroking launch as a way to brag about your fab DJ skills. (Admittedly, I think my own deathcabforcatie page is still active… #yikes). It’s all just a little bit of history repeating. And that’s just dandy.