Instagram Users Can Now Add Songs to Their Profiles Like It’s 2006

When people reminisce about the internet of the early 2000s, Myspace often comes to mind. It launched in 2003 and reigned as the top social media site from 2005 to 2008. Although the once-popular platform is no longer the powerhouse it once was, its influence on online communities is still seen today. As The Verge reports, Instagram has revived one of Myspace’s hallmarks: music on user profiles.

The new feature from the image-sharing app allows users to add a song clip to their personal page. The company debuted the change on their creator’s Threads account on Thursday, August 22, 2024, officially naming it Music on Profile. In the announcement, Instagram claimed that the option would give users “more ways to express [themselves] through music.”

Instagram’s version of the feature differs from Myspace in some major ways. Unlike the older platform, Instagram won’t autoplay its profile songs—which, considering how many people today browse social media on their phones with earbuds in, is probably for the best. The song’s title and artist name will appear in the bio; visitors can press a play button to listen to it.

According to Instagram, users can choose a 30-second clip of any song from the app’s music library. Adding music to your profile is pretty simple; just go to your Instagram page and click “Edit profile.” From there, tap “Add music to your profile” and then “Pick a song for your profile.” When the library pops up, you can select which soundtrack you want by scrolling through it or searching for a title or artist. Use the slider to choose a 30-second section for your profile (the website also makes suggestions on which clips you might want). Press “Done” when you’ve made your final decision. 

Removing a song is also easy. Go to the “Music” tab under the “Edit profile” settings and press “Remove” to delete the song from your profile.

Instagram is notorious for borrowing inspiration from other social media sites. In 2017, Instagram introduced images that disappeared from profiles after 24 hours, but only after Snapchat had pioneered the format years earlier. Instagram Reels, which launched in 2020, have been compared to TikTok’s short-form videos.

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