Spotify is adding three features to Reserved, the program it introduced earlier this year that gives dedicated presale ticket windows to a tour's most engaged listeners. The tools are rolling out starting today, and the first one is already tied to the ticket offer itself.
Reserved is open to Premium subscribers who are 18 or older in the U.S. and Canada. Fans picked for an offer can hold up to two tickets before the general sale begins. There is no separate sign-up: Spotify identifies top fans through their streams, saves and shares, then notifies them by email, push notification or the Your Updates feed. To take part, listeners need live concert notifications and location services switched on.
When a purchase window opens, the fan taps Buy now to connect their Spotify and Ticketmaster accounts, and the transaction is completed on Ticketmaster. The two tickets stay held until that window closes, though specific dates and seats depend on what is still available.
The first new feature is a personalized share card, which appears when a listener is selected for a Reserved offer. A second card arrives after a ticket purchase to confirm attendance. Both carry the fan's name, the artist, the show details and Reserved badging, and can be posted to social media or sent in group chats.
Setlist playlists make up the second addition, unlocking once a Reserved ticket has been bought. The track lists come from setlist.fm, and each playlist is refreshed after a show so it picks up songs the tour played for the first time. The event page is updated the same way, showing the exact tracks performed once the concert ends. Setlists go live for participating tours as their show dates arrive.
Recent Reserved offers have featured artists including Metallica, Jonas Brothers and John Summit. The third feature is a central in-app destination that pulls together share cards, setlists, event details and venue information, and also lists past performances. It can be reached from Home and Your Library.
Spotify is also pointing listeners to its broader live music tools. The Live Events hub can be found by searching for live events inside the app, and the Concerts Near You playlist is refreshed every Wednesday. The company published a Q&A with Rene Volker, its Head of Live Events, on Substack.
The Reserved update lands as Spotify widens other artist-facing efforts: the Spotify Partner Program is expanding to more than 35 new markets this fall, and the company's first standalone R&B concert, RNB X Live, is set for Dallas on November 1. The announcement does not say whether Reserved will open to listeners outside the U.S. and Canada.
