Inside Airbuds: The App That Grew to Millions by Making Music Social Again

A look at the viral tactics, student-led TikToks, and in-app loops fueling the next big Gen Z app.

Airbuds is a social music-sharing app designed to bring friends closer through the simple act of listening. Launched in late 2022, it syncs seamlessly with Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services, allowing users to share the songs they’re currently playing in real time.

One of the app’s most compelling features appears right from onboarding: the widget.
(It’s a format that’s quickly becoming a staple across other apps as well.)

The widget displays what your friends are listening to, live—no need to open the app.

Every Sunday, users receive a personalized weekly music report—a sleek, digestible snapshot of their listening habits. Think of it as a pocket-sized Spotify Wrapped, featuring total listening time, top artists, and frequently played tracks.

The Widget Advantage
Even without opening the app, users can peek into their friends' listening activity right from their home screen.

Airbuds has seen meteoric growth since around 2023. To uncover what’s fueling that rise, we spoke with Alex, a member of the app’s ambassador program, to get an inside look at the community and strategy behind the boom.

Ambassador Spotlight: Alex on Sharing Sounds, Building Community, and Growing with Airbuds

Alex, a college student currently enrolled at Johnson & Wales University, hails from Brooklyn, NYC. Her path to becoming an Airbuds ambassador started like many Gen Z discoveries: a recommendation from a friend.

“I first heard about it about a year ago,” Alex says.
“They told me it was like getting Spotify Wrapped—but every week.”

Discovering Airbuds