Did you know that you can play music in Instagram Stories?
Announced last summer, Instagram’s “music sticker” works for both videos and photos and lets you select from thousands of music tracks that fit the mood of your story — everything from Stevie Wonder to Billie Eilish!
Plus, in more recent news, Instagram just announced that you’ll soon be able to add lyrics to the music in your stories!
With over 500 million people using Instagram Stories every day, we’re so excited to see and hear all the creative ways that brands and businesses use this new feature.
Ready to get started? Here’s everything we know about music in Instagram Stories:
How to Add Music in Instagram Stories
Ready to start adding soundtracks to your next Instagram Story? It couldn’t be easier! Just follow the steps below and you’ll soon be posting photos and videos to your favorite beat.
First, download the latest version of the Instagram app on iOS or Android. Once you’ve updated your app, go to Instagram Stories by tapping the camera icon on the top right of your homepage.
Once you’ve taken a photo or video, tap the stickers button at the top of the screen and then tap the music sticker.
This will open the Instagram music library where you’ll find thousands of songs to choose from. You can search for a specific song, or you can browse by mood, genre, or what’s popular.
You can tap the play button to hear a preview before adding it to your story too.
When you’re happy with your song choice, you can fast-forward and rewind through the track to choose the exact part that fits your story.
You can also choose how long you want the music clip to play for (the maximum is 15 seconds).
If lyrics are available for the song you select, they should pop up automatically on your screen.
You can then choose different fonts and designs for them, and you can edit which part of the song you want to play.
When someone watches your story, they can tap the lyrics to learn more about the artist or listen to more of the song.
Finally, you can customize what the sticker looks by tapping it before publishing.
Now you’re ready to post to Instagram Stories as usual — add GIFs, polls, hashtags or anything else you might like to add, tap the “Your Story” button at the bottom of your screen, and you’re all set!
If you’re using iOS, you can also choose a song before capturing your video or photo. Just swipe to the new “Music” caption under the record mode when you’re in the Instagram Stories camera.
From here, it’s the same as before. Just search for a song, choose the exact part you want for your photo or video, and capture your story while the song plays in the background. Easy, right?
Here are a few more things to know about the new music in Instagram Stories feature:
Which Countries Have Access to the Music Sticker?
In Instagram’s press announcement, they state that the new music sticker feature is only available in “select countries.” And according to writers at TechCrunch, these lucky countries include Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Sweden, the UK, and the US.
It’s unknown when other countries will have access to the music sticker, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted when things change!
What Kind of Music is There to Choose From?
Instagram’s music library is filled with thousands of songs and artists like Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris and Guns N’ Roses — all thanks to Facebook’s recent partnership with record labels.
From the Later office, we’ve spotted Ed Sheeran, Childish Gambino, Cardi B and Kendrick Lamar, to name just a few. So we’re sure you’ll find something you’ll like, and suits the mood of your Instagram Stories too!
Instagram’s Music Sticker Gets an Update with the New Lyrics Feature
Other than adding new songs to their music library, Instagram hasn’t really done much with the music sticker since it first launched in summer 2018 — until today, that is!
Check out Instagram’s announcement featuring Billie Eilish:
While some have welcomed the new lyrics feature as simply an “expansion of [Instagram’s] music tools across its online platforms,” others see it as an attempt by Instagram to compete with Tik-Tok, a massively popular video-sharing app among teens.
It remains to be seen how the new feature will catch on among Instagram’s younger audiences, but one thing’s for sure: people are excited about it!
With all of Instagram’s big launches — IGTV, Video Chat, and now music in Instagram Stories — there have been some great steps towards bringing online communities closer together, in a way that’s more engaging, inclusive, and fun!
We’re so excited to introduce LaterCon this year! An Instagram marketing event like nothing we’ve ever done before. Just sign up below to get your free LaterCon ticket:
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